It's OUR Turn!
by Aethelgythe
Summary: Sequel to "Jazz's Bipolar Prank" and "The Twins Revenge". The twins are finally going to get Jazz back on Halloween but a real terror arises that threatens their very lives. COMPLETED! Please R&R! NO SLASH
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

Author's Note: I was inspired to write this! This takes place before "Revenge of the Fallen".

I hope you like it…please read and review!

**Chapter 1**

Darkness crept across the surface of the world as the last few rays of sunlight vanished beneath the horizon, bringing with it bright stars that twinkled like diamonds in the crisp, night sky. Frost covered the ground, blanketing the earth in beautiful, glittering crystals.

A pair of high beams broke through the still darkness, accompanied by the powerful roar of a sports car engine, momentarily shattering the serenity of the quiet landscape as it zoomed past wheat fields and a plethora of other floral life.

Bumblebee called in to let the other Autobots know that he was on his way in from his patrol duty and was ready to kick back and enjoy some much needed R&R. Ever since his vocal processor was fully repaired by Ratchet two months ago, he talked the audios off of both humans and his Cybertronian elders alike. Even though the other Autobots sometimes acted as if he annoyed them, the smiles they tried to hide from him only proved that they had missed his voice.

He heard that Ironhide and Jazz had gone to pick up Sam hours earlier along with Mikaela, Epps, Maggie, Glen, and Lennox and brought them back to base in leiu of their new yearly tradition of watching horror film marathons on Halloween night.

The young scout remembered well the year before, when Jazz had used the humans Halloween custom to revenge prank the infamous prankster twins. Bumblebee hoped that this year would be quiet…and calm…and peacefu—

Bumblebee shrieked when a large, dark, bulky shape appeared within sensor range a few yards ahead.

The yellow Camaro with black racing stripes swerved to avoid hitting a random cow that had wandered into the middle of the road. The screeching of brakes followed by the smell of burning rubber against the asphalt of the road filled the clean, country night air.

After a thorough sensor sweep, Bumblebee deemed that it was safe, and transformed. He then proceeded to walk carefully over to where the cow was now half in the opposite lane, chewing on some grass on the side of the road.

"How did you get all the way out here by yourself?"

Bumblebee looked around and after scanning a nearby fence, detected the break. Some dilapidated boards, run down from the Earth's elements, had fallen off at an odd angle from rot and decay. He was a little surprised that none of the other cows had followed their comrade out of their fenced in area to freedom.

The young scout released air from his vents in what sounded like a human sigh and walked over to see what he could do to repair it. The moment he touched the neighboring section of fence, more boards fell, creating an even bigger hole.

"Slag…"

Bumblebee looked frantically around for something to block the hole with since there was no way he could repair the fragile human made fence without wrecking the rest of it.

That was when some of the other cows in the field noticed his presence. Some soft "Moo's" greeted his audios as some came nearer and the Autobot scout worked frantically to repair the damage he had inadvertently caused.

"There…that should do it!!"

Bumblebee stood proudly, admiring his handiwork.

"Now to put you back little fella!"

The Autobot reached down and carefully picked up the cow and replaced it on the proper side of the fence before transforming back into car mode and raced off into the night.

The farmer who owned those cows was no doubt going to be surprised when he found an entire tree, roots and all, blocking the gaping hole in the fence when he went out to inspect his livestock the next morning…

:: Bumblebee…report::

:: Sorry sir, my attention was…diverted. I am approximately ten miles out!::

An amused chuckle sounded over the com-link system.

:: Admiring the wildlife again, Bumblebee?::

:: This time around…I think they were admiring _me_!::

:: We will be waiting for you, Optimus out::

About two minutes later and Bumblebee was rolling into their designated 'base of operations'…which happened to be their ship.

When he arrived he was surprised to find that his comrades were all gathered around the Transformer sized television in the REC room, the humans all situated in lounge chairs on the large, Cybertronian version of a coffee table so that they could see the screen better.

"What I miss?"

"Bumblebee, you're just in time!!"

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe grinned devilishly as they both came on either side of him and led him to an empty chair situated near the front row.

Jazz hopped up to insert the first movie which was "Van Helsing". The younger bots whispered amongst themselves during the previews, Jazz not a part of their conversation since he was too preoccupied fast forwarding to get to the part where the movie actually started…

At last, the chatter died down and everyone munched on popcorn (humans) or sipped on some high grade energon (Autobots) as the movie finally started.

Once they finished that one, they popped in the "Underworld" trilogy.

It was during the second one that Bumblebee started to fidget uncomfortably. Something about this human vampire story was bothering him for some unknown reason…

He looked around the room to see how everyone else was faring.

The humans appeared to be enjoying it as they continued to pass the large popcorn bowl and various candy items around, all eyes glued to the screen. The Autobots were also, mildly fascinated although the elder bots like Ratchet, Ironhide, and Optimus…seemed kind of bored.

It was near the end of the second "Underworld" movie that a long forgotten memory file resurfaced to the front of his processor, replaying like an old holo-recording. His optics dimmed as the old memory resurfaced…

_Flashback_

_Bumblebee sat near slightly younger looking versions of Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, who were both in the process of telling him an old, old legend. _

"_Long, long ago…there lived a mech by the name of Rawfist, a scientist who had a happy life. He lived with his sparkmate and two sparklings in peace, centuries before the Great War ever began. It was only when a terrible accident in his lab that caused the deaths of his family that he swore vengeance against Primus for his misfortune…thinking that it was Primus's fault that his family was taken from him so cruelly."_

"…_b-but…wasn't it his fault that the accident happened? Why was his family in his lab to begin with?"_

"_They came by to visit him…he was a bit of a workaholic, so his sparkmate would sometimes bring him some energon on occasion. And like we said…it was an __**accident."**_

"_So what happened?" The squeaky voice of a tiny, youngling questioned with wide, baby blue optics._

_Bumblebee hugged his blanket closer to his chest as the other twin continued somberly._

"_Desperate to find some way to bring back his family…he meddled in the dark arts of sorcery, until he came into contact with unicron himself. The dark one promised to bring his family back to him so long as he submitted himself completely to his dark power forever. Rawfist foolishly agreed."_

_Bumblebee's optics widened considerably and he shrank down further into the comfort of his soft yellow, blanket._

"_Rawfist was transformed into……something…..something dark. Something EVIL…"_

_The little yellow youngling whimpered, no longer liking this story but far too curious to abandon the tale before the ending just yet._

"_It was only after the dark one began to change him, that he realized to his horror, that unicron had been lying to him about bringing his family back. In his rage and in his despair, he tried to lash back out at the evil one for his treachery but instead, was transformed into a dark creature…that was forced into eternal servitude to unicron."_

_Bumblebee was shaking now, he was so scared but he had one question that was bugging him._

"_W-what…d-did he turn into?"_

_The older younglings shared a troubled look before turning back to him._

"_Very few have seen him…and lived to tell the tale. A couple survivors…claimed that he resembled a cross between the Fallen and some sort of...sharp fanged…creature…thing…"_

_Sideswipe fumbled with his description and looked to his twin for help._

_Sunstreaker growled and shook his head._

"_No one REALLY knows for sure what he looks like…all we know for sure is that he has only survived this long by drinking the energon out of a living cybertronian. That's what the fangs are for…you see, after he jumps on you and pins you down, he brings his fangs down and bites your neck and sucks out your—"_

_The little youngling began to scream from where he sat shaking on the floor, the twins sharing a guilty look before turning and making a run for it just as Ratchet and Optimus came running down the hallway._

_End Flashback_

Bumblebee's optics brightened as the suppressed memory had faded and he found to his horror that he was currently standing up, screaming his vocal processor out. He stopped shrieking when he realized where he was and turned to look at his comrades with clear embarrassment and couldn't stop his next outburst.

"HE WAS A VAMPIRE!!!"

Bumblebee was almost sure he heard noisy crickets chirping from outside as both humans and Autobots alike stared at him after they paused the movie.

"Umm…I'm sorry…about that. I have to go now."

Bumblebee excused himself from the room, shivering when his optics caught sight of one of the blood-thirsty vampires attacking a screaming victim on the screen…

_Vampire…_that had to be what that creature thing was from the twin's scary story all those years ago…

The human's story of what vampires were sounded near identical to the one he had heard…and still feared today. Bumblebee couldn't help but feel completely embarrassed when Optimus Prime AND Ratchet followed him out of the room.

"Bumblebee…would you mind stepping into my office for a moment?"

"Uhh…sure…"

He followed his elders to the med-bay and sat down as Optimus and Ratchet stood nearby.

"I think I know what that outburst was about…" Optimus began slowly with worry etched on his face.

"You have recovered a suppressed memory file, triggered by the movie we were watching, most likely. How do you feel, youngling?" Ratchet questioned as he ran a quick scan on him.

Bumblebee under normal circumstances would have bristled with defiance at the older bots calling him a youngling but at the moment didn't really care…

Now, how best to answer that question? He supposed honesty was the best policy at this point since he already knew that both Ratchet and Optimus would see right through his lies.

"I feel…frightened."

Ratchet nodded his head in understanding.

"That is to be expected…that pit-forsaken story the twins told you when you were still so young was a very traumatic experience for you. We knew that it was only a matter of time until it resurfaced again."

Bumblebee remained silent, unsure of what to say.

"There is nothing to fear. Nothing will harm you while we are around," Optimus reassured him with a smile.

He nodded in response and looked down at the floor, resisting the urge to cry like a sparkling. To be honest…that story still terrified him, no matter what Optimus said to make him feel better.

When he looked up, Ratchet met his gaze evenly.

"You are welcome to sleep here for the night, if you feel the need to. I have much that needs to be done tonight anyways…my med-bay is always open, youngling."

Bumblebee nodded his head numbly.

"Thank you Ratchet…but…I think that I will be okay on my own tonight."

"My offer still stands. Don't hesitate to stop by if something bothers you."

The young scout left the med-bay and returned to his quarters to try to get some recharge, not at all aware of the domino effect he had just set into motion.

The twins, the eavesdroppers that they always were, had heard the entire conversation and now left to return to the REC room to finish the movies. Both of the brothers couldn't help but feel guilty and they both thought of ways to make Bumblebee feel better…

It was when Jazz released an audio piercing shriek at a vampire/werewolf pop-out that the twins thought of the most brilliant idea.

:: Hey Sunny…you thinkin what I'm thinkin?::

:: Oh yeah…payback is finally ours!!::

:: You know what? I think that Jazz might be just as scared of vampires as Bumblebee is…::

Sunstreaker shared a wicked grin with his brother before the two bots all but ran from the REC room to get started on their planning.

**4 hours later…**

Bumblebee awoke from recharge with a cry of alarm, bringing his weapon online as he surveyed the room for some hidden vampire enemy…when none was in sight he breathed a sigh of relief.

"It was just a dream…pull yourself together. Don't be a sparkling…it was only a dre--"

Bumblebee whimpered when a strange noise came from the ventilation shaft in the ceiling. With a cry of alarm he ran from his quarters and raced down the hallways to the med-bay and slid to a stop as soon as he got there, looking absolutely terrified.

"Ratchet…I…umm…"

Ratchet turned from what he was working on to look at him.

"Yes?"

Bumblebee felt rather ridiculous…

"Never-mind…it was probably just Sunstreaker and Sideswipe crawling through the ventilation shafts again…"

His door-wings sagged as he turned to head back out to his room but stopped when he felt Ratchet's hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to act tough in front of me, kid…its' okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared sometimes...even Optimus Prime!"

Bumblebee raised an optic ridge.

"Do you ever get scared?"

Ratchet snorted at the question.

"Of course I do!"

"What are you afraid of?"

Ratchet's face fell as he let out a heavy sigh, his hand falling from Bumblebee's shoulder. When he looked up, there were tears in his optics, and thick emotion could be heard in his voice as he struggled to say what he knew he had to say.

"…losing any of you…whenever someone calls me to tell me someone has been injured...I can't help but fear that this time around, I might not be able to fix it…might not be able to save you…"

Bumblebee's face held a look of wonder as he saw Ratchet in a new light.

"Well…at least you aren't scared of vampire-mechs…"

He couldn't help but cross his arms and pout a little from where he stood in the doorway.

Ratchet laughed and shook his head with a smile.

"I'm sure I would be if I ever saw one laying in my med-bay! Just waiting for me to walk over and—"

A pair of hands grabbed the medic from behind, pulling him backwards.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

Ratchet let loose a shriek and twisted around to strike out at his attacker. Two giggling twins were leaning on each other for support, laughing their maniacal afts off.

"AH-HA-HA! Happy Halloween HATCHET!!"

The CMO glared at them and grabbed the nearest wrench he could find and chased them out of his med-bay screaming death threats. Bumblebee had seen them drop down silently from the vents above the med-bay, right behind Ratchet and had trouble keeping a straight face as one of them had given him the 'shhh' sign with one index finger.

Once they were gone, Ratchet composed himself as best he could and faced Bumblebee again who was having difficulty holding back a giggle.

"Oh…you think seeing old Hatchet nearly have a spark-attack is funny, do you?!"

Bumblebee couldn't help but laugh as the playfulness of the medic's tone accompanied by the big grin on Ratchet's face cheered him up considerably.

"Maybe just a little…"

Ratchet threw his hands up in the air, in a show of mock dramatics.

"Argh…younglings…"

Bumblebee went to sit on one of the exam tables, finding comfort and solace here.

"So…you really don't mind then…if I stay here for a while?"

Ratchet's face softened as he placed the wrench back where it belonged.

"Stay for as long as you'd like…"

Bumblebee nodded his head tiredly and situated himself on the recharge berth.

"Hey Ratchet?"

"Hmm?"

"What is Optimus afraid of?"

"You would have to ask him yourself…"

Silence lasted a little longer this time.

"Ratchet?"

"What?"

"So…even Ironhide gets scared?"

Ratchet chuckled at this.

"Like I said before…_everyone_ gets scared…even seemingly fearless, trigger-happy soldiers like Ironhide. Now get some recharge."

Another five minutes of silence passed before it was broken again by a softer, sleep filled voice.

"…Ratchet?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you…"

"You are more than welcome, kid."

Before long…he had gone back into recharge…his processor free of any vampire dreams.

Ratchet smiled softly as he checked on Bumblebee a few minutes later to see that he was peacefully recharging.

"Sweet dreams, youngling…"

TO BE CONTINUED!!

A/N: Aww…isn't Ratchet so SWEET?! *leaps on Ratchet and hugs him* He's such a softie! ^.^ (Next chapter will revolve mainly around the prank coming up!! So stay tuned!)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Here is the next installment of the story! ;) Please leave me a review!!

**Chapter 2**

The sky on the horizon gradually grew brighter as colors of pink, orange, and yellow blended and melded together to create a beautiful sunrise. The frozen crystals left by the frost melted away as the sun gradually peeked over the world's edge, bathing the earth in a soft, golden glow.

The humans remained tucked snuggly in their bedrolls or covered under thick blankets on their cots, completely oblivious to their much larger companions that had been up before the crack of dawn to do individual tasks. Sleepovers were so much fun, Bumblebee mused as he checked on his smaller companions before sneaking back out of the rec room.

He headed out… it was his turn to go scouting.

The cons had been quiet lately and Optimus had suspicions that they were planning a possible attack. Time to go see what they were up to! Bumblebee drove at top speeds away from base, unaware of the mayhem that he was soon going to miss out on…

The twins were ready. They spent the majority of the night, gathering their supplies and plotting their revenge prank to the letter. All they had to do was remain completely unseen.

"Alright…his monitor duty ends in half an hour."

"What are we waiting for?"

They left their quarters and snuck down the hallway to Jazz's room.

"Frag…he changed his door code!"

Sideswipe looked at his brother with a smirk.

"I think our dear friend is a just a little paranoid…"

"You think he knows we are planning to get him back?"

"Most likely…hence the door code change."

Sunny worked on hacking the door code but swore when he tripped some sort of hidden alarm. He continued hacking and switched the alarm off.

"I'm pretty sure Jazz knows we are here."

"All we need to do is plant this holo-emitter and make a run for it!"

The door slid open and Sideswipe ran inside to plant their device while Sunstreaker stood guard just outside, feeling a little agitated the longer they stood there.

"Hurry up!"

Sideswipe raced past his brother with a short laugh.

"What are you standing there for? Let's go!"

The other twin swore beneath his breath and ran after his brother, both making it back to their room without incident. They immediately turned on their monitors, careful to hide their tiny cameras where Jazz would never find them…

About fifteen minutes later, their target ran down the hallway and slid to a stop outside of his door. He all but kicked the door down and flattened himself against a hallway wall, cringing as if expecting something to leap out at him. When nothing out of the ordinary happened…he proceeded to enter his room.

"Begin the countdown…"

Sideswipe hit a button on a remote controller and snickered to himself.

"5…4…3..."

"I can't wait to see the look on his face!"

"…2…1…"

The twins gawked at their video monitor in utter shock to see Jazz standing there in front of one of their hidden cameras with a triumphant grin, holding their now _crushed_ holo-emitter in one of his clawed hands.

"No slaggin way…"

"This wasn't supposed to happen!"

They froze when they heard Jazz speaking through the ship's comlink system.

"Hey posers…you jus' failed epically! Prepare to feel terror like neva' befo!"

The camera was taken offline when Jazz reached up and ripped it from the wall.

"Well…"

"At least we have a plan B."

The twins shared a grin and snickered at the inside joke. They raced down the halls, careful to avoid Jazz and left the base.

:: Sunstreaker to Bumblebee…come in!::

Radio silence greeted them for a good two minutes before the scout responded back to them.

:: Bumblebee here…I'm currently engaged in a recon mission…what do you want?::

He didn't bother to keep the annoyance out of his voice as he crept closer to the Decepticon's last known location, which happened to be an old abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of a neighboring town about seventy miles out from base.

:: We need you to help us with something!::

:: Well you will have to wait until I finish my mission::

:: What if we HELP you finish it faster?::

Static answered back for a few seconds before Bumblebee spoke again, in a flat tone.

:: No slagging way. Bumblebee out::

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe pulled over to the side of the road.

"What are we doing parked on the side of the road?"

"Waiting"

"…for what? There is nothing out here!!"

Some cows "mooed" nearby, almost as if they were insulted.

"I stand corrected…there is nothing out here…but GRASS….and TREES…and COWS!!!"

"Just chillax, bro…Bumblebee is sure to finish within the next five minutes or so"

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just know these things…it's my gift!"

"You are such a retardicon…"

**30 minutes later…**

"That's it…I'm gone!"

Sunstreaker drove around the parked vehicular form of his brother and did a U-turn to head back to the base. Sideswipe honked at him to get his attention.

"I have Bumblebee on my scope!"

"Good job…you were only 25 minutes off..."

Sunstreaker drove away, leaving Sideswipe sitting there all alone.

Bumblebee soon appeared, driving at top speeds as if the entire Decepticon army was chasing after him.

:: SIDESWIPE RUN!!::

:: What? Why?!::

The growing sounds of police sirens soon reached his audios. Sideswipe swore and sped after the fleeing Camaro.

:: YOU BROKE THE SPEED LIMIT AGAIN?!::

:: I HAD TOO! The Decepticons caught on to me and I had to make a quick getaway!::

:: Wow…so they are STILL out in that dump they call a base?::

:: More or less…::

:: Prime won't be happy when he hears you broke the speed limit again…::

:: You won't tell him…right?::

:: Hmm…that all depends::

:: WHAT?! On what?!::

:: Helping us get back at Jazz for the prank he pulled last Halloween::

Bumblebee fumed for a few minutes, not at all pleased with this blackmail.

:: And if I say no?::

:: I think you know the answer to that…or shall I just call Prime now?::

:: NO! Okay…I'll do it!::

:: That's the spirit! Meet us down in the detention level…::

They reached the base and transformed, shutting off their comlinks since they no longer needed them now that they were walking side by side.

"Why are we going down to the detention level?"

"Security reasons…"

Bumblebee's optics lit up in understanding and he smiled mischievously.

"See you there!"

Sideswipe cackled maniacally the moment the young Autobot scout was gone and rubbed his hands together in anticipation before hunting his twin down to tell him the good news.

About an hour later, the three younger Autobots convened secretly down in the detention level, escaping the notice of their comrades. Fortunately, they had fifteen minutes tops before Ironhide went on shift for monitoring duty…which meant that the cameras were currently in standby mode.

"Alright…so here is what we are going to do…"

**Ten minutes later…**

Bumblebee shifted uneasily not at all enthusiastic about this plan of theirs.

"I don't know about this. It just doesn't sit well with me."

The twins exchanged a guilty look before looking back at their younger friend.

"Come on buddy…at least it isn't YOU we are scaring this time!"

"True…but I don't know if I can be that mean to Jazz…"

"Are you sure about that?"

Bumblebee looked confused for a moment.

"What?"

Sideswipe confidently pulled out a data-pad and began to play old security footage they had found in the database archives when Jazz was preoccupied 'plotting' who his targets were going to be before he pulled his 'zombie-mech' prank on the twins the previous year.

"_And let me see…Bumblebee would make an excellent target…I never did pay him back fo' puttin' that bucket o' paint ova my doorway!!" _

Bumblebee stood stunned.

"He…he planned to prank me back last year… all along! THAT IS WHY HE NEVER TOLD ME BEFORE HE SCARED ME!!"

One of Bumblebee's optics started twitching as both shock and anger collided together in a furious storm.

"Payback will be mine…err…ours!!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Sunstreaker grinned triumphantly while his brother put the data-pad away.

The three left the detention level and snuck into Wheeljack's lab and set to work.

Fortunately, the scientist was currently overseas to observe the Japanese's new release of 'AI' robotics to the public, so his lab was all theirs.

**5 hours later… (At 2 AM)**

Jazz sighed as he returned to his quarters after his briefing with Optimus concerning his next mission based upon Bumblebee's most recent intel.

He went immediately to his recharge berth feeling rather drained and went to lie down for a while. He slipped into a heavier recharge than he had originally planned and awoke to the sound of…something…odd. It sounded like…BREATHING…and scratching and squeaking noises…

"Wha' in the…"

Jazz turned on a light so he could see just what was in the room with him.

He didn't get a chance to finish his confused statement since some freaky THING flew at him from the ceiling…no wait…multiple THINGS!!!

Jazz shrieked uncontrollably and ran for the door as tiny, screeching, LIVING, creature things swarmed around him.

"SWEET PRIMUS!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Jazz opened his door and ran out screaming shrilly as he hurried through the corridors of the ship as the dark swarm chased after him.

"SOMEONE HELP MEEEEEEE!!!!" Jazz shrieked as he transformed back and forth between car mode and robot form to try to outrun and outmaneuver the screaming creatures that were flying blindly around him in a panicked frenzy, now that they were out in the brightly lit hallways of the ship.

The helpless Autobot's shrieks and cries for help did not go unnoticed since Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet all stepped out from their quarters to witness the scene.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!!" Optimus shouted as both Jazz and the swarm of fuzzy brown mammals flew past his face.

"OPTIMUS!! GET THEM AWAY FROM MEEEEEE!!!!"

Jazz stopped, dropped, and rolled managing to lose the creatures for a moment and then began to run back the way he had just come from.

The twins and Bumblebee sniggered hysterically from where they were watching Jazz's panicked antics from one of the base's security monitors in the command center.

"I have to say…adding the bats to this prank, was a stroke of pure genius!"

"Yes, I am the evil mastermind behind this part of our plot, thank you."

Bumblebee laughed and took a bow.

"And to think…this is only phase one!"

"I wonder how he and the others will like the rest…" Sunstreaker sniggered wickedly from where he was currently leaning against one of the walls near the screen.

"It's OUR turn for payback!!"

_Meanwhile_…

Ratchet did a scan on Jazz while the saboteur ran past him and clicked in disgust. He followed after the panicked soldier and pulled a welding torch out of subspace and tackled the shrieking mech to the ground.

With a quick swipe of the welding torch, he destroyed the mini sonic-emitter that was planted on him. From what he could guess, the little gadget created some sort of frequency that spooked the bats into attacking Jazz…

"There now, all better."

Ratchet helped Jazz up to his feet with a small growl in his throat.

He knew who was behind this one.

With the help of Ironhide and Optimus, they managed to safely capture and then release the bats outside where they flew back into their natural habitat.

"Has that cave always been there?"

Ratchet grunted at Ironhide's question and turned to go back inside. Before he did he turned to look at Optimus with a deep frown.

"Sir, with your permission I will now go and give the twins a slow…torturous death"

A smirk appeared on Optimus's face and for a moment, the CMO thought he might actually grant him his request.

"Denied"

Ratchet swore and continued back inside but stopped with Optimus's next words.

"You may however…hunt them down and then throw them into the brig."

"I will help you!"

Ironhide and Jazz both volunteered simultaneously and ran after Ratchet who was already on the hunt. Optimus sighed and opted to remain outdoors and took solace, looking up at the stars in the sky.

He was a little surprised when Bumblebee came out to join him. The scout said nothing.

"Is there something you wished to discuss with me?"

"Not right now"

Optimus remained quiet, unsure of what to say.

"Are you alright, Bumblebee?"

He hesitated, as if he had a lot on his processor.

"I…suppose so."

"That did not sound very convincing," laughter was in Prime's voice as he turned his gaze on the youngling.

"I just…I had a question I needed to ask you…"

"Of course, ask anything"

Bumblebee hesitated, almost as if he was afraid to say what was on his mind.

"Umm…is that scary legend true? About Rawfist…and him getting turned into a vampire-mech?"

Optimus blinked a few times, completely taken by surprise.

"What?"

"The legend…the story the twins told me all those years ago…is it true?"

Optimus sighed heavily and looked back up at the stars.

Bumblebee fidgeted nervously next to him, afraid of what his leader was going to say.

"To a degree…yes, part of it is true."

Optimus shook his head as if trying to shake off a bad memory.

"There really was a scientist named Rawfist…and he did make an evil pact with unicron. And yes, he was transformed into something out of the ordinary but that is all that I know to be true. I believe most of that tale was twisted way out of context…so you need not worry yourself about such…troubling things. No one knows what happened to that mech…he disappeared mysteriously a few years before the Great War on Cybertron began"

"Oh…"

Bumblebee nodded in understanding, feeling a little better.

"Thanks Optimus"

"Anytime…now why don't we return inside to check on the others?"

The two walked quietly back in, side by side, neither aware just how true that nightmarish story really was…

TO BE CONTINUED!!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Sorry about the delay in posting…college is a killer. This should end in one or two more chapters. Then I will do my best to finish two other stories I have turned my back on. Thanks for reading and I hope you all leave me a nice review!!

**Chapter 3**

"Come on!"

"Let us out already!!"

"We've been locked in here for THREE DAYS!!!"

The twins were not happy with their current situation. They managed to evade capture for approximately ten Earth hours before their comrades cornered them. They received an audio full of shouting and swearing from Ironhide after their bat prank had seriously ruined the old mech's recharge, a crap load of wrenches to the head from Ratchet for their immaturity, and then they were hauled down to the brig and disgracefully thrown in to the same cell like a human tossing away a couple of garbage bags courtesy of a very PO'd first lieutenant.

Their current pleas to be released fell on deaf audios and the twins sulked as their comrades continued to ignore them.

"This is a load of slag."

Sunstreaker sighed as he got more comfortable on one of the recharge tables.

"This is so fraggin lame…"

Sideswipe kicked an empty cube of energon around the room to keep himself occupied since there wasn't much else to do in the bare cell they were locked up in. The only other sound in the brig was the steady humming from the energy bars to their cell.

"Halloween has come and gone, so maybe we should just forget the prank entirely…"

Sunstreaker bolted up as if Sideswipe had just walked over and deliberately scratched his paintjob.

"EXCUSE ME?!"

Sideswipe turned his head to regard his brother with a bored expression.

"You heard me."

"Are you crazy?! We can make the rest of our prank work in our favor!"

"I don't get it."

Sunstreaker growled and stood up.

"You are such a retardicon…I swear!"

Sideswipe shrugged and went back to kicking the empty cube around.

"LISTEN FOR ONE ASTROSECOND YOU STUPID GLITCH-HEAD!!"

Sunstreaker lost his patience and kicked the cube out through the energy bars of their cell.

Sideswipe snarled and shoved his brother.

"I WAS USING THAT!!"

"SHUT THE FRAG UP AND LISTEN!!"

Sunstreaker, roughly shoved his twin and held him against a wall.

"This is our best chance to avenge ourselves! I don't care how long of a brig sentence we get for this prank but I sure as the pit know that I'm **not** just going to give up and let the rest of them _ruin my fun_!!"

Sideswipe sighed and finally agreed.

"Yeah, I get it. I just think this is stupid...I mean, the whole point of the prank was to scare everyone on HALLOWEEN and that human holiday is long gone now!"

A wicked light entered Sunstreaker's optics.

"Well then…why don't we show all of them that Halloween doesn't have to be on just one single day out of the year?"

Sideswipe smacked his brother upside the head with a frown.

"You watched "Groundhog Day" again, didn't you?!"

"What's wrong with that?! It's a great movie…"

The twins continued to argue, unaware that they were being watched.

The thrum of the energy bars crackled and dissipated opening the cell. The twins turned their heads to look simultaneously to see that they were free.

"It's about slaggin time!!"

"Actually, I don't have permission to release you guys…but I think you've served your time long enough."

Bumblebee laughed as the twins grinned and followed him out of the detention center.

"You guys ready to get to work"

The twins were a little surprised at Bumblebee's eagerness to get the rest of their prank underway…

"Sure…why not?"

"Let's go then!"

The three ran off, careful to avoid their other comrades. They returned to Wheeljack's abandoned laboratory and locked themselves in to give them additional security.

"So this is what we've got…"

"How is this supposed to work again?"

A resounding cling as a fist made contact with the back of an Autobot helm echoed throughout the room.

"Oh yeah…I remember now."

"So does everyone know what to do?"

They nodded their heads and then got to work. Tonight was going to be a night that the Autobots were never going to forget!

Later that evening the three troublemakers set their prank into motion.

While Jazz was on his way back to his quarters, Sunstreaker killed the lights in the corridors. Jazz growled in annoyance and walked quickly over to a nearby control panel mounted in one of the walls. After trying to restart the lighting circuits he walked back to his door in frustration.

"Someone else can fix tha'…"

Just as he was about to enter the room, he heard a scream from nearby and whirled around into a fighting stance. He was a bit startled to see a dark figure tackle a smaller figure further down the corridor.

"HELP MEEEEEE!!"

Jazz felt his spark freeze up at the familiar voice crying for help.

"I'M COMING BUMBLEBEE!!"

Jazz rushed down the hallway and slid to a stop in time to witness something very disturbing…

A VAMPIRE looking thing had just bitten the younger Autobot's energon cables in his neck. Glowing red eyes and white fangs turned to regard Jazz and it hissed at him. Jazz shrieked and backed away as the limp form of Bumblebee remained motionless on the floor with bright blue energon running down his neck and glistening on the fangs of the creature before him.

"STAY BACK! I'M WARNING YOU!"

Jazz backed away as the vampire mech crept closer. Jazz powered up his weapons and prepared to fire just as Bumblebee sat up from the floor, his optics now red. He got up and began to creep closer and growled at him.

"Neeeeeed…energon! Hungry…"

The voice sounded like Bumblebee's only a little more distorted than usual.

"Guys, this betta' not be a disgustin' joke…cause if it is, I WILL SCRAP YOU ALL!!"

The two vampires chuckled darkly and continued their predatory advance. Just as Jazz was about to turn and make a run for it, something tackled him to the ground and pinned him mercilessly down. Jazz looked up into the gruesome face of a vampire mech that he hadn't seen let alone _heard_ sneaking up behind him. He shrieked for help and wiggled and writhed with all he could in an attempt to get free.

"LET ME GO!!"

"Soooon…you will beeee one of usss!!!"

Jazz looked disgusted and tried to get an arm free so he could punch the creature in the face. His optics widened when the vampire mech lowered its fanged mouth towards his neck. That's when he totally lost it…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! HEEEEEELLLLPPPP ME!!!!! THE VAMPIRES ARE GONNA BITE ME! PRIMUS HELP!!!"

That's when the lights powered back on.

And Jazz was released.

"Wha' in the name of Primus…"

Jazz struggled to focus blurry optics to see three familiar looking bots holding masks in their hands, laughing hysterically. Bumblebee wiped off the fake energon from his neck and grinned triumphantly from where he stood beside the twins.

"Oh man…you should have seen the look on your face!!"

"SOOOOO priceless!"

"It's a good thing we got that whole thing on camera!!"

The twins laughed as a confused and very agitated Jazz got up off the floor, still trying to comprehend what had just happened to him as the twins continued to taunt and rub their victory in his face.

"WE TOTALLY WIN!!"

"Happy Halloween!"

"We totally just OWNED your aft!!"

"You looked so frightened!! I haven't seen him that scared since—"

The twins gulped and backed away as Jazz's normally blue optics began to shift over to red as he aimed a gun at the two of them.

"I'm gonna' give you _fraggin' posers_ to the count of **three**…"

Bumblebee shrieked and threw his vampire mask at Jazz's face before running in the other direction, the twins close behind him. They all went to the one place they knew they would be safe…

**Five minutes later**

"Well…at least they didn't have to THROW us in here this time."

"I can't believe we actually _voluntarily_ locked ourselves up."

"I think I can," Bumblebee winced as loud blaster fire accompanied by angry shouts erupted as Ironhide, Optimus, and Ratchet all tried to subdue a furious Jazz one level above them.

"Do you think we went too far this time?"

The three shared a look before cracking up into fits of laughter as Jazz continued to freak out somewhere above their current location. The three bots pulled out the video footage of their prank and replayed it, howling with laughter at the entire spectacle.

"Let's just hope they don't throw Jazz in here with us…" Sideswipe cringed as a mini explosion went off above them, shaking the cell.

The other two stopped laughing and shared mutual looks of terror at the mere idea.

"Don't say stuff like that!!"

"What are you trying to do…get us killed with that slaggin karma?!"

The three remained silent and continued to listen to the chaos ensuing as a result of their vampire prank.

"We might be in here for a while…"

"Yeah but it was totally worth it!"

The three younger bots shared another laugh and then settled down for the night as the last of the angry shouts died down a few hours later. This had to be the best Halloween ever…

TO BE CONTINUED!

Author's Note: oh yes…they are soon going to learn that even the funniest of pranks can totally backfire… *evil laugh* Stay tuned for more!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I just figured I would add some actual horror to the story since I'm getting a little burned out on all the comedy. So here we will all see just how sick Karma can actually be! Please read and review!!

PS-sorry about the long delay in updating…life got crazy. -_- MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

**Chapter 4**

After two weeks, the ship finally returned to its usual semblance of normalcy without anyone causing any mischief or trouble. The younger bots after serving their brig time and listening to another one of Optimus Prime's lectures concerning responsibility, decided that it was finally time to return to their regular duties as Autobot soldiers.

Halloween was put completely behind them or at least until next year. Even the creepy legend about Rawfist escaped Bumblebee's memory for a time.

Little did they know that their lives were about to be turned upside down.

**-MIDNIGHT-**

Bumblebee recharged peacefully within the safe confines of his quarters. His optics remained dimmed as his systems replenished themselves. He was unaware of the dark shadowy figure standing in the corner of his room…a pair of frighteningly bright, ruby red optics staring hungrily at him.

The young Autobot shifted in his sleep, trying to get more comfortable as his dreams began to change from peaceful…to terrifying.

The figure in the room drew nearer to the sleeping Autobot who was now lost within a fit of tossing and turning as he tried to escape some nameless fear.

A low throaty chuckle broke the silence in the room and a pair of bright, baby blue optics reactivated to see a sinister looking figure standing just above him. Bumblebee sighed with relief and sagged back down on his recharge berth.

"Oh Sideswipe…it's just you…for a second I thought you were the real deal…"

The young scout's optics widened when he heard a dark, foreign voice in his head.

_**You are so full of life…so full of energy. Little one, I shall make you my—**_

An audio shattering scream filled the ship, awakening everyone and sending a few of the Autobots running straight for Bumblebee's quarters. When they got there and opened the door, they found the young Autobot curled up in a corner of his room next to his recharge berth, shaking and staring across the room at a blank section of wall. His optics, were filled with horror and small clicks and beeps would occasionally escape his vocal processor. Whatever had terrified him…had frightened him enough to send Bumblebee back into sparkling speech.

While Ratchet examined the young bot and tried to figure out what was wrong with him, Optimus did what he could to try to comfort him. Ironhide and Jazz were already running for the security room to look up video logs to see if the cameras could tell them anything about an intruder on base. The twins were standing outside of Bumblebee's door with curious and worried faces.

"What's wrong with Bumblebee?"

"He's frightened"

"Was it a nightmare?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" Ratchet snapped from where he was currently knelt down next to a traumatized looking Bumblebee.

The twins shared a look and Sunstreaker shrugged.

Jazz soon returned, sliding to a stop in front of the Autobot leader and reported to Optimus.

"Sir, there was a two minute and fifty second blackout to all of our security cameras approximately seven minutes ago."

Optimus frowned as he mulled over this news.

"This base is now on high alert. No one has clearance to leave this ship! I want a security detail to sweep the entire perimeter immediately. We need to find this intruder!"

Jazz saluted before looking at the twins.

"This betta' not be YOUR fault!"

Jazz ran off to find Ironhide and rope the weapons specialist into helping him with patrol duty and a couple minutes later, Bumblebee finally spoke.

"I-It…w-was…h-h-him!!"

Ratchet and Optimus both spoke in soothing tones in order to comfort as well as coax any further information from the scout.

"Who did you see?"

Bumblebee's distant optics finally shifted from the wall to look into Optimus's face, one of his hands reaching out and clamping firmly onto one of the Autobot leader's arms.

"The legend is t-true…he w-was here!"

Ratchet froze from where he had been entering data into his data-pad after receiving results from his initial scans. He leaned closer to Bumblebee, his voice low. The twins by now had crept a little closer so they could hear a little better.

"You mean to tell me that you saw…_Rawfist_?"

Ratchet asked the question incredulously as if the mere notion of such a thing really existing let alone, running loose on their ship, just wasn't possible.

The moment Bumblebee heard the dreaded name he broke down into a sobbing fit and didn't bother fighting the comforting embrace he soon found himself in, as Optimus pulled him close against his chest. He shared a worried look with Ratchet before looking back down at Bumblebee.

"How do you know it was really him? What if it was just a nightmare?"

Bumblebee pulled away and shook his head.

"I…I heard this scary…_evil_, dark voice in my head…"

The two elder bots bristled and simultaneously thought the same thing. Could it be Soundwave? The younger Autobot shook his head again almost as if sensing their thoughts.

"…I know for a fact it wasn't Soundwave…this voice I've never heard before…"

This was most troubling news indeed.

"Well, you are safe now youngling. We will all keep our optics and audios sharp."

Optimus then opened up his com with all of the Autobots.

:: If anyone sees or hears _anything_ out of the ordinary, I want you to report to me immediately! ::

Upon receiving a chorus of 'yes sirs' over the com-lines, he left Bumblebee in the capable hands of his chief medical officer and strode into the security center to see what Jazz had found.

"Status report"

"So far, everything is clean. If there was an intruder…none of our sensors or security cameras was able to catch em'."

Optimus frowned and shook his head in disgust.

"We must find and capture this intruder. I don't care how long it takes! This ship is to remain on high alert until further notice. I want to see around the clock security patrols."

"Yes, sir"

Optimus remained in the security room and sat down to take the first monitor duty shift while Jazz ran out to assist Ironhide in the perimeter sweeps.

:: Ironhide, what's your status?::

:: I'm on the east side, finishing my sweep. So far, it's all clear::

:: Roger that, I'm heading out to the western zone::

:: I will rendezvous with you there, Ironhide out::

A few minutes later and Jazz was outside on the west side of their cloaked ship, searching for any hidden clues to the intruder's possible whereabouts.

Jazz froze when he came across strange tracks. He bent down to examine them, feeling very uneasy. These tracks belonged to a Cybertronian since he detected faint energy readings…but the tracks themselves were all wrong, like it was a cross between a mech and…some kind of animal.

He shivered and was about to report in when his sensors alerted him to a nearby presence.

Jazz whipped around and pointed his gun in the direction of some nearby bushes when a rustling sound interrupted the still quiet of the night.

He relaxed and vented air in a human sounding sigh when a raccoon ran out from the bushes and across his line of sight before disappearing up a tree.

Jazz lowered his gun and laughed.

"Man…I'm jumpy…Jazz ya' need ta chillax!"

A large hand clamped down on his shoulder from behind, sending an already skittish Jazz into a defensive combat mode. He screeched loudly while grabbing the hand on his shoulder and spun around while twisting the arm it was attached to and then performed a rather stunning take-down maneuver on his would-be attacker.

"OWE!! FRAG IT ALL!"

"Oh…my bad!"

Jazz released Ironhide and helped his comrade to his feet.

"I didn' hear you comin…"

"I should have warned you before grabbing you like that," Ironhide looked a bit embarrassed.

"Nah man, it's all good. There is nothin' on my end. I just checked this entire area and it's clean."

Another rustling in the bushes caused both Autobots to jump around with weapons ready and fingers itching to pull the triggers.

Nothing appeared and Jazz was the first to lower his weapon.

"Come on Hide'…it's nothin! I was scared earlier by a raccoon…it's probably jus' a squirrel or something."

Ironhide grunted and kept his weapon trained on the bushes with a scowl on his face.

Jazz sighed and shook his head.

"Ironhide, you comin' back inside or what?"

"Just a minute…"

Ironhide crept a few feet closer with a growl in his throat. He knew from long experience to trust your instincts. Something felt completely _wrong_ here. Jazz kept pestering him to leave it alone but he ignored him. When the bushes gave a bigger rustle he roared and opened fire, ripping the bushes into shreds and setting small leaves and branches ablaze from the plasma blasts. A few seconds after the smoke cleared, Ironhide grunted in approval at his handiwork and turned around approaching Jazz with a grin. Jazz glanced at the destroyed vegetation and small crater left by Ironhide's cannon and saw no signs of life.

He rolled his optics and shook his head.

"You feel betta' now you trigger happy lunatic?!"

Ironhide's grin widened.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

He passed Jazz and took the lead to return to the ship when it happened. One minute, Jazz was right behind him talking excitedly about the new CD one of his favorite rock bands was coming out with and then the next, he was screaming at him to get down.

"IRONHIDE WATCH OUT!!"

Ironhide felt a body slam into him and he fell face-first into the soft, earth. He scrambled back up when the body that had tackled him was thrown off and he got up to see a terror he hoped he would never see in his life.

A creature that looked a lot like a Vampire-Mech, now had Jazz pinned to the ground and was hissing in the shrieking Autobot's face. Ironhide roared angrily and ran forward, kicking the thing off of his friend and then pelted the beast with weapons fire.

"CALL THE OTHERS!!"

Jazz opened his comm. frequency to send a distress call but his audios were greeted with nothing but static.

"SLAG! Ironhide, our com-links are bein' jammed!!"

"GO BACK AND GET THEM THEN!! I CAN HOLD IT OFF!"

"No! I ain't gonna leave you out here all alone with that thing!"

"GO NOW!!"

Ironhide roared when the vampire creature ducked down into the vegetation again. He growled dangerously as he backed up, the veteran Autobot tuning into his instincts completely. The weapons specialist rolled clear of the creature's attack as it lunged out of the bushes to his left in an attempt to slash at him with its wicked looking claws.

Jazz was torn between running for help and staying with his friend and comrade. This was an unknown enemy. There was no knowing what this thing was capable of! What if he left and that thing got the best of Ironhide?! Of course Jazz knew that Ironhide was a very skilled warrior and could take on just about anything single-handedly and win. Then again, Ironhide was gettin' kinda old…not that Jazz would voice that matter aloud.

When Ironhide saw Jazz still standing there he turned his wrath on him.

"WHAT ARE YOU STILL DOING HERE?!"

He backed away with a frown, still indecisive when the unexpected happened.

Jazz saw the vampire creature leaping for Ironhide from behind as if in slow motion and it was then that he made his choice. He ran forward with all the speed he could muster, ignoring Ironhide's shocked expression as he once again, shoved the trigger happy lunatic down and barely had half a second to brace himself for impact as the creature tackled him to the forest floor. He squirmed trying to get free as it once again, dug its sharp claws into his arms and sat heavily on his torso restricting his movement so he couldn't kick it off.

His struggling stopped when the creepy thing _whispered_ his name. How in the blazes did it know his name?! Then it whispered something incredibly weird…and it was then that the voice sounded vaguely familiar and he KNEW.

Soon he found his own blue optics completely entranced as the ruby red ones locked onto his. His head felt kinda weird…and for some strange reason, Jazz couldn't look away from its hungry looking gaze.

_Dang that thing is fugly…I don' wanna look at it no mo! Come on Jazz, MOVE! LOOK AWAY! DO SOMETHIN!!_

He didn't even completely register what it did next until his processor caught up with him once the weird hypnotic stare was broken. A scream ripped from his throat as sharp fangs pierced one of his main energon lines in his neck.

Jazz went completely limp as he felt his life source being slowly drained away, leaving him feeling weak and deprived of energy. Just as his optics began to blur and his vision faded the thing vanished and then Ironhide was there, staring down worriedly at him. He saw Ironhide speaking to him but it was like his audios had been shut off so he couldn't hear what he was saying…

Then everything went black.

* * *

Ironhide paced nervously just outside of the med-bay, awaiting word from Ratchet on Jazz's condition. It took every ounce of self-control not to chase the creature down and beat it to death with his own fists as it made a run for the trees after attacking Jazz. He knew his buddy needed medical attention and his friend's life took top priority. Ironhide carried his unconscious comrade back to the ship sullenly and once Ratchet had taken him, the weapons specialist had warily slumped to the floor against one wall out in the hallway.

He had already reported in to Optimus in detail about the attack and the rest of the crew had already convened to discuss their next course of action against this new threat.

"By attacking one of our own, this being has now declared it-self our enemy and must be stopped, no matter the cost," Optimus concluded with a chorus of approvals.

Everyone who was going to be a part of the hunting party, which was everyone but Ratchet and Jazz, met in the armory to arm themselves before heading out together in a greater force.

They never got the chance to leave the ship…because the power went out.

"Just great…" Bumblebee groaned from where he was standing next to the armory door. The emergency backup lights came on, illuminating the others in soft orange light.

"I will go see if I can get the power on again," Ironhide rumbled with a deadly edge, as if the power outage was the creature's fault.

"I will go with you," Bumblebee piped up from where he stood beside the twins.

Ironhide grunted in approval and then headed out with his cannons whirring, eager for a chance to blast the vampire-mech to the pit for hurting Jazz.

Bumblebee had to run to keep up with Ironhide's large strides.

"What do you think caused it?"

Ironhide snorted and looked down at the younger bot with a disgruntled expression.

"What do _you_ think?"

Bumblebee's optics widened and he stopped abruptly and let out a frightened squeak.

"The vampire did it?!"

Ironhide stopped and looked back at him with an impatient look.

"Are you coming or aren't you?"

Bumblebee hesitated with a response and couldn't help but glance back over his shoulder, as if the others would be waiting for him right there. A dark, creepy hallway awaited him if he turned back and everyone knew that the poor sap that decided to go venturing off on his own, was the first to die. He freaked out and took a few running steps forward to catch up with Ironhide and shook his head.

"YES! I am most certainly coming with you!!"

Ironhide chuckled and clapped a reassuring hand on Bumblebee's shoulder.

"You'll be safer with me, kid. Trust me, that thing aint' goin to touch you with ME around."

The two continued forward through the maze of dark corridors until they reached the main control panel. Ironhide opened it and swore when he found that multiple wires had been cut.

"The intruder is here..."

:: Ironhide to Optimus::

:: Optimus here, go ahead Ironhide::

:: Everyone be on alert! The intruder is on this ship, the control panel has been sabotaged::

:: Understood, do what you can with it and try to restore power. If you run into any problems, contact one of us immediately::

:: Yes, sir::

Ironhide and Bumblebee set to work immediately, to reconnect the severed wires in order to restore the ship's main power grid and commence an emergency lockdown system so the intruder couldn't leave.

Optimus frowned from where he stood just outside the armory.

"Sunstreaker, I want you to report to the med-bay and give Ratchet back-up."

"You can't be serious!" The yellow twin whined, not at all pleased with his assignment.

"It's either assist Ratchet in protecting our fallen comrade in the med-bay…or accompany me to find the intruder."

Sunstreaker was out the door without further protest.

Sideswipe laughed once his brother was gone.

"He never was one to enjoy getting his hands dirty…"

"Indeed. Now let's go!"

Sideswipe and Optimus began their search of the ship to find the intruder.

"Sir…once we find the intruder…what exactly are we going to do?"

"Give it a chance to surrender…and if it refuses and attacks, destroy it."

"Sounds like a plan, sir."

Sideswipe was sure to stay close to his leader and watched his back as they encountered one creepy hallway after another.

"Stay sharp, soldier…I have a feeling we are getting close…"

A clanging sound, like someone knocking over a metal pan onto the floor made the two of them jump in alarm and train weapons on a closed door up ahead to the left. It was coming from Wheeljack's sealed lab.

They crept closer and once they were just in front of the door, Optimus reached to trigger the opening mechanism but Sideswipe stopped him.

"Sir, maybe you should let me go in first…"

Optimus thought about it for a moment before slowly nodding in approval.

"If you are certain"

"No doubt about it, boss"

Once Optimus opened the door, Sideswipe ran in with his weapon ready. Optimus followed and the door shut behind him, sealing the room in total darkness.

A rustling sound had Optimus training his gun on a tall cabinet a few feet away. He was taken by surprise when Sideswipe totally freaked out on the other side of the room.

"AHHH!! IT'S ON ME!! GET IT OFF ME!!! HELP!"

Optimus forgot all about the cabinet and ran, nearly tripping over a stray cable of some sort in his haste to get to Sideswipe and when he reached the other side of the room he was shaking with disbelief.

"**What** is the meaning of _this_?!"

The Autobot leader didn't even have a chance to cry out in alarm as two beings tackled him to the ground. Before he knew what had hit him, something had rendered him unconscious.

* * *

-RATCHET'S MEDBAY-

"Don't get mad at me! Yell at Optimus for sending me here!"

"Don't touch ANYTHING!! You know the drill…" Ratchet frowned and watched as Sunstreaker went to sit in a corner of the room, grumbling as usual. The doc went back to finishing repairs on Jazz in silence.

A banging in the vents above the med-bay made every conscious mech in the room freeze. Ratchet bristled with pent up fury and whirled on Sunstreaker with a wrench gripped tightly in his hand and he growled menacingly.

"If this is another one of you and your brother's pranks…I SWEAR TO PRIMUS…that I WILL DISMANTLE YOU AND SELL YOU FOR SCRAP!!"

Sunstreaker shook his head and got back up to his feet, eyeing the vents suspiciously.

"It's not us this time, doc."

Ratchet was thankful that this time around, he had chosen to place his patient on the opposite side of the room so that if something dangerous did pop down from the vents, they would have a little bit of warning at least…

Sunstreaker aimed his gun at the vent cover in the ceiling, rigid and tense. The yellow twin stood still, listening intently for any sign of life while sending the vents a vicious glare. After five minutes of silence, the yellow twin deemed it was safe and lowered his gun and turned to see that Ratchet was lowering his arm that still firmly grasped his wrench. He sent him a quizzical look.

"Were you about to throw a wrench at me?"

Ratchet shot him a disgusted glare.

"Don't tempt me!! I was going to throw it at…whatever was about to drop into my med-bay unannounced!"

"And you think that throwing a WRENCH…would stop the thing…?"

Ratchet looked as if he had just been insulted.

"**No one** is getting near my injured patients unless they go through ME first!!"

Sunstreaker looked over at Ratchet's pristinely organized wall of tools.

"Well, considering you have like, five-thousand wrenches in this one room alone…yeah I'd say that your patients are pretty well protected, doc."

"Indeed they are."

"So long as you don't miss…"

A wrench sailed through the air and struck Sunstreaker neatly in the head. He snarled and turned on the medic.

"WHAT THE SLAG WAS THAT FOR?!"

Ratchet grinned wickedly as he retrieved his wrench and pointed it at him.

"I don't think you should be worried about my aim…now if you would be so kind…" Ratchet gestured for Sunstreaker to return to his designated corner so he could get back to work.

Sunstreaker sent the CMO a nasty look and took a few steps in that direction.

That was when all hell broke loose.

The vent grate was kicked down violently and then canisters of gas were fired down.

"Smoke grenades!! Ratchet, lock-down the med-bay and call for backup"

The CMO was already moving before Sunstreaker said anything.

Once he completed the med-bay lockdown, he returned to Jazz's side and prepared to beat the slag out of whatever came his way, armed with a wrench in each hand. Ratchet swore when Sunstreaker began to fire upon a shadowy figure through the haze and hoped to Primus that the brazen twin was the one to walk out victorious.

After a moment, the gunfire stopped and the smoke finally cleared to reveal that the mysterious attacker and the yellow twin…were missing.

**TO BE CONTINUED!!! **

Author's Note: Sorry about the cliff hanger but I'm tired and need to stop here for the night. I will continue soon though so have no fear! LOL Please leave me a juicy review! ;)


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: I have been inspired to write more! ;) Please leave me a review so my inspiration can continue…

Chapter 5

MED-BAY

The moment it connected within his processor that the intruder captured Sunstreaker after the two beings disappeared from the med-bay via ventilation shafts in the ceiling overhead, Ratchet opened up a com-line to his comrades and alerted them to the situation.

His concern and paranoia tripled upon learning that both Optimus and Sideswipe had gone MIA when static greeted his audios, alerting him to the fact that both bots had their com-links down…not a good sign.

The CMO was relieved however, when Ironhide and Bumblebee responded to his hails.

:: Ironhide here, what is it?::

:: The twins and Optimus are missing…we were attacked in the med-bay but Jazz and I are fine at the moment::

:: Bumblebee and I almost have the main power grid operational again. Give us another three minutes and then we will join you there::

:: See you soon and BE CAREFUL!::

Ironhide shook his head with a laugh at the worried medic's well wishes. Bumblebee stood behind Ironhide, with his gun ready, more than happy to watch his mentor's back since the last time he had tried to rewire something…he did it wrong and got electrocuted for all his trouble. The electric shock disrupted his optic sensors to the point that all he could see for a time was black and white, a most unpleasant experience to say the least.

A shadow moved out of the corner of his optic range and he turned to his right, aiming his gun at the gloom. He fidgeted as his unease grew.

"Uhh…Ironhide…you better hurry up with those lights."

A grunt was his only response as the veteran Autobot continued his work, undeterred.

A hissing sound from the darkness had him backing away, so that he was now close enough to reach out and grab Ironhide should the need arise.

"I think we have company…"

"Tell me something I don't know…" Ironhide growled humorlessly as he soldered two wires back together.

The hissing was getting louder and it was now accompanied by heavy clicking sounds…like claws tapping against the ground.

"Hurry the slag up!!"

"I'm doin my best, runt!"

Ironhide moved swiftly to re-connect the last few wires and grinned triumphantly when the main power grid was brought back online with a deep hum. The lights powered on slowly, flickering a little as the system rebooted. Ironhide admired his handiwork for a moment.

"See? What did I tell you, kid? , There's nothing to it."

When he turned around, the young Autobot was missing.

Ironhide groaned and brought a hand up to his head as if he had a processor ache.

"Why does he _always_ have to run off like that?"

The weapons specialist headed towards the med-bay, since that would be the logical place for Bumblebee to go.

When he got there however, Bumblebee was nowhere to be found. Ironhide explained his side of the story…

"One second he was standing right behind me and then the next he was gone!!"

"Well he never came here."

Ratchet's optics dimmed a moment as he tried to link up to Bumblebee's com but found to his dismay that it was being jammed.

"We need to find him and the others immediately."

"What about Jazz? We can't just leave him here unprotected!"

The two looked down at Jazz's prone, unconscious form lying on the exam table.

"I will stay with him…"

Ratchet frowned as he looked from his patient back up at Ironhide with concern written clearly on his face.

"Be careful…this thing is dangerous. I honestly don't know for sure what this creature can do. Judging from the puncture wound on Jazz's neck, it was clearly attempting to drain him of energon but that is not what really happened. His energon levels are normal so I'm not quite sure what the purpose of biting him really was."

"I understand," Ironhide nodded gravely as the heavy realization that he was now most likely the only soldier left standing, pitted against Primus knew what all alone, hit home. He turned to leave but Ratchet's final words halted him mid-stride.

"Don't do anything stupid…and come back in one slaggin piece!!"

Ironhide smirked back at the concerned CMO as he held his weapons up with pride.

"If anyone is returning to your med-bay in pieces…it's our intruder friend. Now I've got some hunting to do…"

Ratchet sighed as he watched his long time friend exit his med-bay and sat down to watch over Jazz. There was no knowing how long he was going to remain in recharge. This time, the CMO was going to be prepared should the intruder choose to pay him and Jazz a little visit next…

Ironhide was growing frustrated. So far he had checked nearly eighty percent of the ship and yet there was still no trace of his missing comrades. There should have been signs of a scuffle…or a fight. There was nothing.

There were only two places left to check. The lower deck contained the detention center and a rather large storage room. Even though this level was clearly illuminated, there were some glitches in the system that caused the lights to sometimes fail on and off. It was a problem that the Autobots had never gotten around to fixing since they had more pressing matters to deal with, such as stopping the Decepticons.

Now Ironhide was beginning to wish that they had fixed this technical glitch sooner when in the middle of the search within the detention block, the lights failed, leaving him stranded in pitch darkness.

"This is pit-slaggin wonderful!"

He swore some more when he thought he heard something coming from just around the dark corner up ahead. It was the corner that led straight to the storage room.

Ironhide, the fearless soldier that he was, hesitated.

It was probably a trap. He could do the smart thing and run upstairs and seal off the lower level and claim that he caught the intruder. Then again, if it WASN'T the intruder…then he was in a load of slag. Which was why, he probably had to go in and spring the trap and face whatever the pit was in there waiting for him.

He gripped his gun tighter and stalked forward, trying to keep as quiet as he could. His finger was once again itching to pull the trigger the closer he got to the gaping black maw that was the entrance to the storage room. The lights flickered back on long enough for Ironhide to roar and rush into the room with a furious sounding battle cry, prepared to shoot anything that moved. The moment he found himself standing in the very center of all the storage crates and containers full of various supplies, the lights went back out. Ironhide activated the tactical light attached to his gun, figuring that night vision was unwise since there was no knowing when the bright ceiling lights would spontaneously decide to pop back on.

He spun on his heel, training his weapon on a container when he heard it fall with a loud clatter on the other side of the room.

Someone or something was in the storage room with him.

When he heard a strange hissing noise, he knew it was time to leave. Ironhide backed away, returning to the storage room entrance, unwilling to turn his back on the thing and make a run for it just yet. He was surprised when his backside hit a solid surface. With a cry of dismay he reached a hand out to activate the door he was cornered against to find that it was locked.

Deciding it best to let the CMO know of his plight, he opened up his com but winced when loud static graced his audio receptors. He shut it off and growled. At least it couldn't attack him from behind now that his back was to the door.

Then to make matters worse…the only light source he had which was attached to his gun just shorted out.

Now he was blind and hopelessly trapped with no way of escape.

"How pit slaggin PERFECT!!!"

Ironhide wasn't going down without a fight. So when something bowled into him from the right, knocking him down to the ground, he rolled back up to his feet and unleashed a volley of fire in the direction he had last detected it. The lights flickered back on briefly, giving Ironhide enough illumination for a moment to see the vampire mech across the room, hissing at him behind some storage containers. At the same moment that he raised his gun to aim at the thing, the lights went out again.

The veteran Autobot growled deeply and started back towards the door. If he could just make it out of this room and lock it down, he could keep the vampire mech trapped within the room. When the lights flickered on again, Ironhide let out a cry of dismay to see who was standing right in front of his face.

"What are _**you**_ doing back so soon?! And where did that vampire mech go?!!"

That was when something stabbed him in the neck and he was plunged into stasis.

RATCHET'S MED-BAY

The CMO knew something had gone terribly wrong when Ironhide failed to return four hours later. There was no way the doc was going to leave his med-bay, however. Not when he still had a patient to tend to.

Speaking of which, Ratchet was finding it increasingly worrisome that Jazz had still not awoken out of recharge. This was very odd and yet every test result on his friend came back normal.

He was jerked out of his internal ponderings when something loud began banging against his med-bay doors. Ratchet pulled out his weapon. He was a being who did not like fighting, which was why he enlisted as a medic. The kind hearted mech always took great joy in repairing wounded. He would rather save lives than take them. He preferred not to use his gun but he would not hesitate should the need arise.

In a loud but firm voice, Ratchet called out to the one just outside his med-bay.

"IDENTIFY YOURSELF!"

The banging stopped and silence was his only response. Ratchet waited a moment to see what the being outside would do. When no answer was forthcoming, he tried communicating again.

"If you will not identify yourself, LEAVE AT ONCE"

Then something fell to the floor behind him and he whirled around with gun poised and his finger ready to pull the trigger. No one was there. Just a small, round little canister that looked a lot like—

"Slag it all…"

Ratchet moved with lightning speed to get behind cover but he was not fast enough. The EMP grenade detonated and the CMO swore just before he was forced into stasis.

5 hours later…

Bright, blue optics brightened as he felt himself awakening out of a deep recharge. That was odd…why was it so dark?

Ratchet looked around the dimly lit area and found to his amazement that he was propped against some crates in the storage area down in the detention level.

"What the frag…"

He turned his head to the right and was greeted with a familiar face who grinned sheepishly back at him.

"Hey Ratchet…long time no see!"

"Bumblebee…where are the others?!"

"Everyone is here, Ratchet."

"Jazz?"

"Yo', I'm on the otha side of the room, doc!"

Ratchet was so confused that the room started spinning in his vision.

"I don't understand…why are all of us down here in this pit-forsaken storage room?! And who the slag was responsible for knocking me senseless earlier with that EMP charge?"

As if in answer to his questions, the doors opened and the Autobots all stood up to find, not the vampire mech they had at first believed to be their attacker, but…

"WHEELJACK?!!"

It was the older bots, mostly who had simultaneously blurted out the inventor's name. The younger Autobots didn't seem too surprised to see Wheeljack standing there, his vampire mech disguise completely damaged after Ironhide's attack earlier. Optimus, Ratchet, and Ironhide turned dark glares upon Jazz, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and a grinning Bumblebee, then back upon the newly arrived scientist. The elders gave the younglings an audio full while Wheeljack nervously inched closer to the exit.

"This was just a nasty prank, wasn't it?!"

"There wasn't a vampire mech after all…it was you good for nothin' fraggers!"

"You are the most INSUBORDINATE lot I have EVER had the misfortune of commanding!"

"YOU SCARED THE SLAG OUT OF ALL OF US!!!"

"You should all be COURTMARSHALLED!!"

Ratchet lunged for his nearest victim, which happened to be Bumblebee. The scout shrieked and ran past the twins and made a break for the door. He shoved Wheeljack aside, screaming.

"RUN AWAY!!"

That was when something clicked within the elder bots' processors, for now they directed murderous glares in his direction.

"I…can explain!"

He backed away slowly with palms upturned in a supplicating gesture.

Optimus slowly approached with blazing optics.

"YOU were the one who assaulted me in your lab earlier, with SIDESWIPE'S help! That is a quick ticket to a court-martial soldier!"

"The twins blackmailed me!! It wasn't my fault!"

"Yeah but you were the one who actually pulled it off!"

Sideswipe piped up from the other side of the room, trying to look innocent. Wheeljack turned a pleading expression to Optimus and the others.

"It was all their idea…they wanted this to finally be their revenge prank against Jazz for his prank on them last Halloween!"

Jazz turned an angry expression on them.

"Next time why don' ya save your prank victim to be the last survivor! I might have been more scared if you had…"

The twins started laughing, despite the evil glares being sent their way by the others.

"The look on your face when the vampire mech jumped you was priceless!"

"Especially when the 'vampire' bit you"!

Ratchet turned to Wheeljack with a frightening look that demanded an immediate explanation.

"I simply injected Jazz and Ironhide with a sedative…the fangs were fake"

"Now that the mystery has been solved, I want all of you who were involved with this incident to report to my office…_**immediately.**_**" **

Both the look and the authoritative tone of voice Optimus used on them, brooked no argument and the guilty ones in question marched glumly to his office. Bumblebee was called to join them and he too slunk in to Prime's office, not at all thrilled to suffer yet another three hour lecture concerning the prank.

Some hours later after punishment duties were dished out to each guilty individual, the offenders got to their grudging cleanup detail and maintenance of the ship. They had been instructed to repair every last technical glitch onboard and to also thoroughly clean the ship spotless, inside and out.

Sunstreaker of course, was the loudest complainer of the lot, ever the obsessive compulsive one who acted as if the universe was coming to an end if there was so much as a speck of dust or a smudge of grease on his pristinely kept armor.

Sideswipe got increasingly annoyed with his brother, which left Bumblebee and Wheeljack to listen to the twins bicker and argue amongst them-selves while they attempted to get at least one task done without the two trouble makers interfering.

Bumblebee and Wheeljack didn't complain as much, both bots feeling a little guilty about the prank and neither pleased with the consequences of their actions. At the rate they were working, it would take them another week to finish their punishment detail.

Ironhide was their overseer and made sure that they were performing their duties with optimal efficiency. They would only stop for an energon break or for light recharge before returning to work.

The Decepticons still had yet to make their move. Until they did, Optimus was grateful for this short reprieve and used the time wisely to plan ahead for future skirmishes they may have with their foes.

While the Autobots continued to bustle about their ship, a raging storm was approaching from the east and with it…a new enemy that was going to turn their lives upside down.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating folks. Real life troubles and all that! I will attempt to update again soon!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: I had a seriously freaked up nightmare about vampires killing little kids last night, and no, I have not watched any vampire movies in a long while. I do not like vampires or think they are 'cool' as the younger generations do these days. They are NOT cool…they are pure EVIL. They only wish to kill and destroy. They steal life. End of story.

**Chapter 6**

Another peaceful, quiet evening settled upon the land. The first few stars twinkled into view one by one up in the clear, velvety night sky as the last of the sun's rays disappeared beyond the horizon.

A few months had come and gone without any real incident. Since Megatron's defeat in Mission city, the Decepticons were now relatively leaderless and confused. Starscream had of course attempted to assume command but after countless defeats by the Autobots, was forced to send the Decepticons into hiding until they could regroup in greater numbers.

The Autobots weren't complaining…all but Ironhide, who was always itching for a fight.

The twins and Bumblebee were kept busy by their commander, who made sure they stayed out of trouble for a while, not at all in the mood to deal with immaturity. Optimus took the time to research and looked more into the Rawfist legend. A lot of data had been lost from the Cybertron archives but a few reports had remained intact. Teletraan 1 was now the sole keeper of those particular files.

Prowl had joined them about two weeks earlier and was doing Prime a favor by keeping the twins out of his office so he could continue to conduct his research. He had a feeling deep within his spark that there was something about that legend that was deadly…and quite true. And if it was true, then there was a real possibility that it could endanger the lives of his friends.

He wanted to be prepared for anything.

The great leader of the Autobots typed furiously away at his computer console, completely absorbed in his work. So absorbed, that he missed the faint sound of an audio piercing shriek a few corridors down… a desperate cry for help that went completely unheard.

* * *

Bumblebee was tired…and needed recharge—badly.

As he entered his quarters and powered down for the night, he had the ghost of a feeling that he was being watched. A quick glance around his room revealed nothing, so he therefore figured it was only his imagination and let his guard down.

After all, they were all safe here…he was perfectly safe in the confines of his room here on the ship with all of his comrades around to watch out for trouble while he recharged peacefully. There was no need to be on edge anymore…Halloween was long over and the Rawfist legend had at last, been shoved to the back of his processor.

There was nothing to be afraid of.

Bumblebee was soon in a deep recharge and it was only then, that one of the many ebony shadows blanketing the room came to life. It moved, slinking closer to the slumbering Autobot…the youngest of the crew.

And the young scout soon found himself lost in yet another vivid nightmare…

_He was a youngling again…all alone on the ship. It was dark. None of the lights were operational. He had his soft yellow blanket clutched tightly in one fist, holding it close to his rapidly beating spark. _

_His fear polluted the air and he whimpered when he sensed an ancient evil nearby. _

_A foul presence that he could sense was coming ever closer…_

"_Ironhide! Ratchet?! Anyone??"_

_He called out in a small, squeaky voice, doubtful that he would receive a response. He froze, now paralyzed when a dark, evil voice that sounded velvety…almost hypnotic but still deadly…echoed through the still darkness around him._

_**I have been watching you for some time, little one.**_

_Bumblebee's paralysis wore off, his fear giving his legs the strength to bolt down the hallway as fast as he could. He was crying now…because he was all alone in the dark and none of his friends were anywhere to be found. And that scary person…the one he could not see but felt…was chasing him. He didn't dare turn around for fear of what he would encounter if he did, so he kept running._

_That voice followed him still, no matter how fast or how far it was that he ran._

_**You are such a naïve little creature…so vibrant and full of youth. **_

"_LEAVE ME ALONE!!"_

_Bumblebee cried harder as the shadows and the gloom stretched on endlessly before him. He was searching for a light…a familiar face… someone to get him out of this horrible place._

_The further he ran the darker it seemed to get. And that faceless voice grew steadily louder…now echoing within his mind._

_**Your comrades are far too old and set in their ways to fulfill my purposes… but you…**_

"_Shut up!! GO AWAY!!"_

_The youngling tripped and fell, quaking in fear as he was finally cornered as the stretch of endlessly hallway finally reached a dead end. He was trapped now…and was forced to turn around to face that which had been relentlessly pursuing him._

_He kept his optics tightly closed, too afraid to open them to see the face that belonged to the scary sounding voice. He hugged his blanket to his chest, as if to protect himself from the unseen danger._

"_Who are you…Rawfist?"_

_**Rawfist is no more…I am Cronos.**_

"_Please…leave me alone!"_

_**You have no need to fear me… I will make you mine, little one. **_

_Bumblebee whimpered, trying to block out the voice but it was impossible. He continued to keep his optics shut, his spark filled with dread. He had a feeling he knew who this person was and wanted nothing to do with him. The voice continued, sounding a little deeper…as if trying to sound soothing but all it did was tighten the icy grip of fear that was squeezing at his spark._

_**You are innocent and impressionable enough. I will teach you many things that you're so called 'friends', have not. **_

_Tears leaked from his optics as his body shivered. He found enough strength to squeak out one name._

"…_Optimus…"_

_**You have been left in the dark for far too long… let me help you. Open your optics.**_

_Strangely and to his horror, he found his body obeying the voice's command. His optics opened to behold a terror only heard about in tales from his youth. Red, ruby optics were boring holes right through him and a creature of terrifying proportions stood tall before him. It looked like a mech…but he had dark, ebony metallic wings jutting wickedly from his back, and two sharp spike-like horns arose from the crown of his head. He had two sharp vampiric looking fangs protruding from his mouth that were longer than the rest, and wicked claws gleamed from his fingers and feet. He looked more like a demon-bot…far more evil and sinister than Megatron even. _

_Bumblebee soon found himself strangely drawn to the vampire's darkly glowing optics. He was soon entranced…unable to look away…frighteningly mesmerized._

_That was strange…he knew for certain that this being was pure evil…a servant of Unicron himself and yet, he somehow wasn't afraid anymore. He couldn't move as the dark being moved in closer, couldn't find his voice to scream for help…because those crimson optics were staring straight into his spark, were calling to him. Were telling him that everything _was just fine…

_He should have known it was all a lie._

_It was only when two sharp fangs bit deeply into a main energon line running through his neck that his vocalizer unfroze and he released a spark-wrenching scream._

And awoke…to feel intense pain…as if two white hot energon knives had pierced through his neck, setting it on fire. A heavy weight was pinning his arms and torso down and Bumblebee was vaguely aware that one or both of his legs were twitching of their own accord. The dark voice was once again inside his head, blocking out his panicked thoughts. A clawed hand was muffling his screams.

_**There, there…it will all be over soon…**_

His bright blue optics were currently locked on a pair of ruby red ones that were once again sending him into a trance… his screams quieting as the dark being drained a little bit of his life away.

His optics dimmed as the vampire finally released him, to stand beside him. Bumblebee felt his processor swimming as the dark creature unsheathed a blade and cut his own wrist. Dark, blue energon, almost navy in color, seeped from the wound. Before the young scout could protest or struggle, the evil being forced his mouth open and made him _**drink**_ some of the energon. His panicked thoughts picked up again like a maelstrom.

_No…this was all wrong… Optimus had told him before that any being that willfully drank the lifeblood of another was an evil Unicron follower. Primus had instructed them and many other lifeforms throughout the universe not to ever drink the lifeblood of another living being, for it was robbing that living creature of life… _

To his disgust and horror, he found himself actually beginning to _like _the taste of it.

_**That's it my little one…drink freely. I give you LIFE….**_

_No…but Optimus said…_

_**That fool said nothing that will save you now. You are MINE.**_

…_This…is wrong. _

Soon, Cronos pulled his wrist away and took a few steps back, concealing himself in the shadows. Only his two glowing red optics were visible through the gloom of Bumblebee's room. The scout whimpered as what felt like the onset of a virus assaulted his internal systems.

_**I will return for you…when you are finally ready.**_

With those last creepy, foreboding words, he vanished without a trace…almost as if he had never been there to begin with.

Bumblebee felt weaker than he had when he had first begun his recharge. He struggled to get up and groaned when he felt energon still seeping out of the puncture wounds in his neck. All he managed to do was roll off his recharge berth, where he crashed in a near unconscious heap on the floor.

He felt terrible…

It felt as if his neck was still on fire and his brightly glowing spark was beginning to hurt. As if…he was fading. His optics, they were also beginning to give him trouble. They kept coming in and out of focus, making it harder for him to see what he was doing and where he was going. He crawled to the door and weakly managed to trigger the automatic sensor array and fell back down once he made it out into the hallway.

His limbs shook with the effort to crawl yard by yard down the corridor. He felt far too sick and weak to call out for help and simply opted to keep crawling until he found it. The others had to be around somewhere…right?

No wait…the twins and Ironhide had also turned in for the night. Ratchet was most likely in his med-bay, Wheeljack was holed up in his lab, and Optimus and even Prowl were probably in their respective offices. Jazz was out on patrol if his memory banks weren't completely glitched.

But…who was the closest? Who could help him?

It was getting harder to process…harder to move. He craned his neck around to see a bright, glimmering trail of energon following him. And he was starting to feel…hungry?

His optics closed tiredly and he heaved air into his vents as his body temperature continued to rise alarmingly. Bumblebee continued to claw his way down the corridor, unsure now of where he was…how far had he gone?

At last, he used what reserves of strength he had left to shakily stand up on his feet and staggered heavily into the nearest door, his vision swimming. It was someone's office…but now he couldn't remember who it was that belonged here. Wait…did he even know this person? Why was he even here to begin with?

His thoughts ground to a screeching halt when he felt his body fall heavily against the door, his hand hitting the button to open it as he fell forward into the office of a very startled Optimus Prime.

"...Opt...imus..."

"BUMBLEBEE!!"

The Autobot leader leaped from his desk to get to him. Bumblebee was losing feeling in everything. He could barely feel Prime cradling him to his chest, or feel the wind rushing past his anguished face as his leader ran, carrying him to Ratchet.

The last thing he was aware of before he slipped into stasis was the concerned and worried faces of Optimus and the CMO staring down at him from where he lay upon a med-bay table.

Then everything went black…

TO BE CONTINUED!!

Author's Note: Please review! And hopefully I can get another update for you soon. ;) I hate cliff hangers as much as you do…And yes…poor Bumblebee. –huggles him- T.T


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: I'm incredibly sad that no one reviewed my last chapter. But regardless…I'm continuing with this story. Please… PLEASE –gets on hands and knees- leave me a review this time around!! T.T

Also for some weird reason…I want to write the characters as the G1 ever since I saw the first two seasons again on DVD. Sorry if the characters seem a little off from the Bay versions.

**Chapter 7**

"I'm sorry Prime…that's all that I can do for Bumblebee at this point."

"Thank you Ratchet, I will watch over him while you get some recharge."

Ratchet glared defiantly at Optimus and refused to budge from where he was currently standing beside Bumblebee's repair berth.

"That's an _order_," Prime growled warningly.

"Optimus…please…Bumblebee is still in critical condition. His spark from what I have been able to tell, is fading. I am the only medic you have right now. I MUST remain at my station," Ratchet pleaded with his leader.

Optimus appeared to contemplate this and finally relented.

"Very well, but I need you to report to me if his condition changes. We must get to the bottom of this. I already have Jazz, Prowl, and Ironhide on the case. His attacker is both mysterious…and deadly."

"I promise, Prime. You have my word."

"When your energy levels get too low…contact me immediately."

Ratchet smiled at his leader's concern and nodded his head in understanding.

"I will be sure to."

With a final nod, Optimus left the med-bay to return to his office where he planned on joining in on the hunt for Bumblebee's attacker. As he sat down at his desk, he frowned in silent contemplation. He already knew who was responsible.

The scientist that was once known as Rawfist, who was now a dark servant of unicron, was very real. Bumblebee's condition proved as much. How he had managed to sneak aboard their ship, past their defenses was beyond him. The twins were bound to report back in from their patrol relatively soon. Optimus could only hope and pray, that they managed to find some sort of clue.

* * *

Five hours passed with no change in Bumblebee's comatose-like condition. Ratchet was finally to the point where he needed to recharge, so he called Optimus as he promised. Optimus arrived within minutes of his call and relieved him of duty.

The empathetic leader of the Autobots took a seat beside Bumblebee's recharge berth and began his vigil over the youngest member of the team.

He took one of Bumblebee's armored hands within one of his own, hoping to lend the young bot some support and to let him know that he was not alone. Optimus softened his voice so as not to disturb his sleeping charge, feeling a strong sense of protectiveness and sorrow welling within his spark.

"I'm so sorry we failed to protect you, young one. We will find the one responsible and bring him to justice."

Bumblebee continued to remain completely motionless and dead to the world. Optimus's optics roamed over the patchwork that Ratchet had done on him. The CMO managed to stop the bleeding and was able to put an energon feed intravenously through one of the scout's energon lines in his arm, similar to a human IV. The puncture wounds in his neck were sealed up thanks to Ratchet's skill.

He still didn't know what to think of Ratchet's earlier prognosis.

_-Earlier-_

"_What's the report on Bumblebee's condition?"_

"_He has lost a lot of energon due to the puncture wounds in his neck. And his internal systems are destabilizing rapidly… I have reason to believe his attacker managed to inject him with some sort of virus which is making it near impossible for his internal systems to cool themselves. I'm doing my best to get his core temperature back down."_

"_Will he be alright, Ratchet?"_

"_It's hard to say, Prime. I've never dealt with something like this before… we will know soon enough. I can rig up a temporary anti-virus to slow the effects of the poison…I honestly don't know what else this virus is going to do to him."_

"_I understand. We will set out immediately to find the perpetrator…who will most likely have the answers…and the cure that Bumblebee needs."_

Optimus let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair. They needed to find Rawfist…and they needed to find him soon.

The anti-virus was only good for another two days at least before it wreaked havoc with Bumblebee's systems again.

Time…was now against them.

* * *

Bumblebee was lost within a dark void.

He couldn't seem to find any trace of light anywhere. He loved the light…and he missed it dearly. Just when he began to despair, he sensed a familiar presence. A most comforting and strong spark, was nearby. With this realization, he felt the darkness slowly creep away.

Soon, he felt himself returning to consciousness.

With a groan, he opened his optics to see the fuzzy outline of Optimus leaning above him.

His optics cleared and he felt a gentle but firm hand restrain him when he tried to sit up.

"Take it easy, Bumblebee…"

Another groan escaped his vocalizer and he relaxed upon the berth he was situated upon. He kept his optics focused on the worried face of his leader.

"How do you feel, youngling?"

"Like slag."

"You gave us all, quite a scare…but you are safe now."

Bumblebee's optics dimmed at hearing those words and turned his head away as he felt intense emotion building within his weakened spark.

"Bumblebee?"

Optimus's concern filled his deep voice and he coaxed the young bot to look back at him, only to see tears glimmering in his baby blue optics. Before he could reprimand him, Bumblebee had pushed himself up far enough to latch on to Optimus in a hug, burying his face into his shoulder. He was shaking…and sobs began to escape the young Autobot, as they had when he had been a small youngling.

Optimus ran a hand over his helm in an attempt to soothe the young soldier and patiently waited for Bumblebee's sobs to subside.

When they did and he pulled away, he looked up at Optimus with pleading optics that were filled with fright.

"Optimus…the legend is true."

"I know, Bumblebee. We are doing everything in our power to hunt down Rawfist."

He shook his head slowly, careful of his neck injury.

"No sir…not Rawfist. He calls himself… Cronos…and he…he…"

Bumblebee shuddered involuntarily as he brought a trembling hand up to gingerly touch the patchwork covering his neck.

"I am here to listen if you feel the need to discuss it."

He returned confused and frightened optics to Prime, feeling incredibly guilty when the memory of the attack surfaced to the forefront of his processor and he remembered the despicable act that Cronos had forced him to do.

"He…made me...he…"

"What did he make you do?"

"After he bit me he forced me to drink some of his energon. I'm so sorry Optimus!! I don't want to be an evil Unicron follower!!" Bumblebee wailed pitifully, as more tears squeezed out of his optics, making him look far younger than he was.

Optimus's face filled with compassion and he patted Bumblebee's shoulder comfortingly.

"It was not of your doing, Bumblebee. You are free of any blame."

"It…was terrible," Bumblebee shivered again at the memory.

"He is long gone. You are going to be alright Bumblebee…we are working on a way to counteract what has been done to you."

"Optimus…I'm afraid…"

"I know. You do not need to fear, youngling. I will protect you…as will the others."

"I…don't feel right."

"How so?"

"What frightens me the most…is that…for a moment, I actually enjoyed the taste of it."

Bumblebee had his head turned away, too afraid to see Optimus's reaction. He didn't want to see the disgust and contempt he feared would be written all over his leader's face. He was mildly surprised when a caring hand, turned his head back around. The expression he had was not what he expected.

Optimus looked concerned… but also wise.

"It was his evil influence that made you feel that way…it was not of your own will."

"I know…but I'm still sorry."

"There is no need to apologize, Bumblebee. You did not ask for any of this."

"Thank you, sir."

"Get some recharge, Bumblebee…you need your rest."

"Okay"

Bumblebee settled back down, feeling wearier but his spark felt a little more at ease after that conversation with Optimus. He closed his optics and allowed himself to relax.

"I will watch over you."

With Optimus's comforting promise, Bumblebee slipped back into a peaceful recharge.

* * *

24 hours had passed…and there were still no new leads on Cronos.

The twins while out on their patrol encountered strange tracks about two miles out from base but they simply vanished after a few yards, suggesting the possibility that this creature had the innate ability to fly.

Ratchet was once again tending to Bumblebee and keeping a close optic on his young ward. He was finally able to take the scout off of the energon line when the scout was finally able to ingest some much needed energy on his own.

Now Bumblebee was complaining of a severe processor-ache and his internal systems kept over-heating from time to time despite the anti-virus that was fighting desperately to keep it at bay. Ratchet was worried.

From the looks of things, that anti-virus might not even last another day.

Bumblebee was confined to the med-bay until they could find a way to completely cure him.

The Autobots had delved into research and figured that Cronos was quite similar to the human versions of vampires… so the twins with the help of Ironhide and Wheeljack began to devise special weaponry to use against the foul creature.

"Let's see…according to this list…we need a bunch of cloves of garlic, some holy water, crucifixes, some stakes, and maybe a sunlamp. Did I miss anything?"

"Don't forget we need something to chop his head off with…like an axe."

"I thought that was zombies!!"

"It's vampires too, slagtard!"

"Stop your bickering!!"

Ironhide shut the twins up and went back to glancing over the schematics with Wheeljack.

"The only difference is…this is a different form of vampire. He isn't organic…he is more like us."

"Yes…but we do share similarities with humans."

"You really think some holy water and wooden stakes are going to be enough to stop that thing?!"

"Maybe not _wooden_…I've already got a stash of metal stakes that are made from a specialized titanium alloy with a diamond tip that should be adequate in piercing through Cronos's spark chamber…assuming that he still has a spark, that is."

"What about this doohickey, and that thingie-majigger over there?"

"The movie Van Helsing gave me the idea for this weapon."

Ironhide held up a semi-automatic crossbow that could shoot out 100 metal spikes per minute.

The twins were still arguing about the holy water and garlic method.

"Well I say that the holy water WILL work! Let's just get Optimus to say a prayer over it or something and then throw the bucket all over the creep!"

"Yeah…you could do that…if you wanted to RUST Cronos to death!!"

"Not if its HOLY water! According to human vampire legends…the holy water would burn him like acid!"

"But it never works in the movies!"

"It did in Van Helsing!"

"It didn't in some others that I've seen!"

"Like what…why don't you name a few, Sunny?"

"The crucifix didn't work that well in Van Helsing either."

"You're changing the subject!" Sideswipe growled in annoyance and pinned his brother with a stony stare.

"Fine…we can TRY to use the holy water. I just don't know where we are going to find enough of it. It's not like any local churches are donating any!!"

"I say we just grab a water tower from the local county…have Optimus pray a Primus blessing over it and then load our super-soakers full of it!"

Ironhide stopped his conversation with Wheeljack long enough to catch the twins' last idea.

"Hey, that's not a bad idea. I think the two of you should get started on that one right now."

The twins shared a bored look before shrugging and then walked out of the room to go and most likely borrow a water tower without the state's permission and return to base with it.

"I hope those two are actually discreet about their mission this time. The last thing we need is the government to come snooping around our base at a time like this!"

"I'm sure they will get the job done right. If not…I'll be sure to blast those two to scrap," Ironhide grunted as he worked on loading the crossbow.

Wheeljack had the spikes polished and set out ready to go on one of the armory shelves.

"Hopefully some of these weapons will prove useful when we finally encounter Cronos."

"I plan on finding out as soon as he shows his ugly face."

"What I don't understand…is how none of the rest of us have even seen, let alone heard Cronos and yet Bumblebee is the only one who has," Wheeljack declared thoughtfully.

Ironhide paused from where he was setting the loaded crossbow down on the shelf next to the specially designed metallic stakes to look incredulously at his comrade and friend.

"You aren't suggesting that Bumblebee is _crazy_ are you?"

"I'm a scientist Ironhide. I can only hypothesize based on the facts that we already know."

"And yet Bumblebee was physically attacked and injected with some Primus forsaken virus! I seriously doubt the little guy would do that to himself."

"How is he? Any word on his current condition?"

"I was going to go stop by the med-bay and check on him after I finished up here."

"Well, there is nothing more to do here. The twins should be returning within the hour with some…soon to be holy water and possibly some garlic."

Ironhide stared at Wheeljack as if he sprouted a second head.

"Garlic?"

"Well…you never know unless you try!"

"Good point. I will inform Prime of our progress…let me know when you get that UV spotlight up and running!"

"Will do, Ironhide. Give Bumblebee my deepest sympathies. I will visit him later this evening after I get some more work done."

Wheeljack continued on designing his schematics and blueprints while Ironhide left for the med-bay.

* * *

-Meanwhile-

"I think…we should have…borrowed Prime's trailer for this slag."

"I know bro. Maybe we will the next time we steal a water tower."

The twins were currently dragging a water tower behind them after lashing it down to a semi- truck.

"Almost…there…"

The ship loomed into view and before long; they finally had the water tower inside their base.

"Where do you think we should store this thing?"

"How about the armory…?"

"Is there room in there for this thing?!"

"Oh, I guess not."

Before they could argue about where to put the water tower, Optimus Prime found them.

"What is the meaning of this?"

The twins explained their 'Holy water' idea and actually met their leader's approval.

"I suppose there is no harm in attempting this strategy. We don't know very much about our new enemy. It is imperative that we find and exploit any weaknesses this creature has and use them to our advantage."

"Well, if Cronos is anything like an Earth vampire…he hates sunlight."

"Hey! Maybe Bumblebee can help us with this! He was the only one that ever really came into close contact with Cronos."

"An excellent idea…why don't we pay him a visit now"

The twins and Optimus headed directly for the med-bay, hoping that Bumblebee could enlighten them further about their new enemy.

* * *

"Bumblebee is recharging…Ironhide came to visit him about an hour ago."

"Ratchet, it's very important that we speak to Bumblebee."

Ratchet frowned, not at all pleased that they were bothering his patient who desperately needed his rest.

"It will only take a minute."

"Very well, but make it quick!"

They woke Bumblebee who appeared to be slightly disoriented. It took him a minute to recognize his friends.

"Optimus…Sideswipe, Sunstreaker…what's going on?"

"We need to ask you a few questions."

"What do you know of Cronos? Do you know of any weaknesses that we can use against him?"

Bumblebee appeared to be carefully mulling the questions over.

"I…know that he feeds off of the energon of a living being to survive. I'm sorry Optimus…that's all I really know at this point."

"Thank you Bumblebee…try to get some more rest now."

The three turned to leave the med-bay but Bumblebee stopped them with one frantic sounding word.

"WAIT! He…hates the light."

Optimus turned back around to regard his young soldier.

"Sunlight?"

Bumblebee shook his head in the negative.

"No sir…ANY kind of light. He is a being that thrives off of total darkness."

"That is very good to know. Thank you, dear friend. We are doing everything we can to stop him."

Bumblebee managed a weak smile and nodded his head.

The three left him alone with Ratchet again.

The CMO gave him a pointed glare that demanded he recharge immediately. Bumblebee took the hint and closed his optics tiredly.

He awoke a few hours later, feeling incredibly energy deprived.

Ratchet brought him some energon to drink but to their horror, Bumblebee's tanks purged his systems of it, and the young Autobot choked and spluttered it all back out.

"Argh…I'm sorry Ratchet…I don't…feel well."

"I know, Bumblebee. I'm going to take care of you."

The doc was already working to get another energon feed into Bumblebee's arm but froze when he caught sight of something incredibly odd.

"Bumblebee…do you notice anything…different about your mouth?"

Bumblebee sat there and after a minute shook his head in the negative.

"No…I feel normal."

"I thought you said you didn't feel well!"

"Only when I tried to drink that energon cube…"

"It's the virus most likely. I'm afraid that anti-virus won't hold out much longer…"

"Ratchet…I feel strange."

Bumblebee felt as well as heard an odd gurgling noise from somewhere within his tanks and his mouth was beginning to tingle…almost as if he had the strangest urge to BITE something. A strong feeling of hunger accompanied the sensation.

"Can you describe what you are feeling?"

Bumblebee did the best he could and then Ratchet shook his head sadly before grabbing a mirror from one of the drawers and approached the scout cautiously.

"There is something you need to see…Bumblebee."

"What is it Ratchet?"

Bumblebee felt his panic growing as the doc approached with the mirror in one hand.

Ratchet held up the mirror for Bumblebee to see and winced when the youngling released an audio shattering scream.

"AHHHHHH!!!!! I CAN'T SEE MYSELF!!"

Ratchet looked confused a moment and then looked down at the mirror he was holding up and felt slightly embarrassed. He was holding it up backwards so that he was staring at his own reflection.

"Oh…my mistake Bumblebee…"

The doc flipped it around the proper way and Bumblebee looked about ready to offline when he caught sight of what Ratchet had been trying to tell him.

Amidst some of his pointed teeth…two of them were already a quarter of an inch longer than the rest.

"What…is…this?? WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME RATCHET?!!" Bumblebee exploded in near hysterics.

"I don't know how to say this kid… but…I think you are growing fangs."

Bumblebee's optics widened in fear and he shook his head in denial.

"No…this can't be happening! I don't want to be like that…that FREAK!!"

Before he could stop himself, he broke down in front of the doc unable to keep his sobs back any longer. He was transforming into the THING that bit him. Anger welled within his rapidly beating spark and he refused to acknowledge Cronos by his name…he wasn't a person any more but a creature and Bumblebee wanted nothing to do with him.

"I feel like I'm in the twilight zone…" Bumblebee moaned mournfully from where he currently had his face buried in his hands.

"I'm sorry Bumblebee…but until I know for sure what that virus is going to do to you…I'm going to have to place you in restraints."

Bumblebee nodded solemnly in agreement with dull optics.

"Do what you have to Ratchet…I don't want…to hurt any of you."

After the CMO made sure that Bumblebee was restrained and wasn't going anywhere, he sat down beside him with concern on his face.

"If you feel any different at all…I need you to tell me immediately."

"Why…why is only after me?!"

Ratchet listened intently as Bumblebee recounted the frightening words that Cronos had delivered to him within the nightmare just before he had been bitten.

"Apparently he thinks that since you are younger than the rest of us…that you can be easily brainwashed. Which is a load of slag, in my opinion," Ratchet growled.

"He said…that he will return for me…when I'm ready. What did he mean by that?"

Ratchet's optics reflected the worry and the dread that he was feeling, not at all willing to hide his true feelings from the kid at this point.

"I suppose…he could be referring to when you have been completely transformed into…what he is."

"I…would rather DIE than ever become like him!!" Bumblebee nearly screamed from where he was straining against the restraints in his anger.

Ratchet gasped when Bumblebee's optic color shifted from his normal baby blue to purple.

"Calm down, Bumblebee…everything will be okay. We will find a way to get you back to normal!"

"If you can't…I want you to deactivate me, Ratchet. I don't think I could ever live…like him."

"I don't think it will ever come to that, kid."

Bumblebee finally relaxed a bit and sagged back down on the berth.

"Get some recharge, Bumblebee. I will be right here if you need anything."

Ratchet left his side to send in an update to Optimus about his charge's medical condition. He didn't want to frighten Bumblebee…but his latest scans showed up with some very negative results.

The CMO was already working on another temporary anti-virus that would hopefully give Bumblebee the ability to consume energon again like a normal bot.

He opened up a com-link after making sure that Bumblebee was in a deep recharge once again.

::Ratchet to Optimus…::

::Optimus here, go ahead Ratchet::

::Prime, Bumblebee… is dying::

TO BE CONTINUED—Please review!!

A/N: Don't worry…I love Bumblebee too much to actually kill him off in such a terribly gruesome way. –huggles him- But that doesn't mean that he is out of the woods just yet. –evil laugh- Being a fan fiction author is sooooo much fun. XD


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while since my last update. I've been having a lot of health problems and work has kept me busy. Please read and review!!

**Chapter 8**

Things were going from bad to worse, it seemed.

After three days, Cronos was still at large and to make matters even more serious, Bumblebee's condition was deteriorating. He had lost the ability to consume regular energon and now his systems refused an energon feed through his main energon lines. Every time Ratchet tried to get the life sustaining fluid into the little guy, it came right back out.

His spark, now deprived of energon, was weakening and faded a little more with each passing day. It was only a matter of time until his spark extinguished entirely. Once that happened, there was no knowing how they would get Bumblebee back.

Somewhere within Optimus's research he discovered something dire. It _appeared_ as if there was a no-win scenario for Bumblebee… but Optimus refused to believe in a no-win situation. There had to be a solution! There just HAD to!

If Bumblebee was to give in to his growing and ravenous hunger to actually attack one of them and bite them to drink their life giving fluids, then Bumblebee would forever be lost to them, for his spark would then belong to Unicron.

However, if Bumblebee was to die before ever completing the dark, transformation ritual of feeding off of another living being, then there was a chance that they could bring him back…but there was the possibility that he would still be categorized as 'the living dead'. This in the academic vernacular simply meant, that Bumblebee would be alive physically… but his spark, his very life essence that gave him his personality, would no longer be there.

Either way, it seemed, they would be losing their dearest little comrade.

Optimus knew that the time had finally come, to speak about these matters with the ailing bot himself.

He gave Ratchet fair warning that he was coming and upon arrival, was greeted with a sorry sight. Bumblebee was completely strapped down to his recharge berth with energy restraints and he had some sort of adhesive covering his mouth to prevent him from trying to bite anyone. His normally bright blue optics was now a dim, faded purple due to the vampiric virus that was still trying to change him.

Optimus approached the young scout cautiously as he took a seat next to his ailing soldier.

Bumblebee acknowledged his presence with a weak nod of his head and a barely discernable grunt.

Optimus looked up at Ratchet with a sad frown.

"Is the adhesive necessary?"

Ratchet shook his head and approached Bumblebee while muttering something that Optimus was clearly able to catch with his sharp audios.

"…fine…I'll take the tape off…but I swear if you try to bite my hand again Bumblebee, I will WELD your mouth shut!!"

The doc took the adhesive off and Bumblebee stretched his jaw out and then blinked innocently up at Ratchet.

"It wasn't my fault! Your hand looked like a cube of energon for a moment and I was hungry!!"

Optimus looked bemused as he regarded the other two. Ratchet caught his commander staring oddly at him and returned a glare.

"What? That little devil tried to BITE my hand off! And in answer to your previous question… YES the tape was very necessary!"

Bumblebee mumbled an apology to Ratchet and the doc's optics seemed to soften.

"Alright…just don't do that again"

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle at their interaction.

"I believe the humans have a saying that deals with this sort of thing."

Ratchet smirked and nodded his head.

"They sure do."

The CMO turned a mock glare on Bumblebee.

"Don't bite the hand that feeds you! AND the hand that saves your life!!"

His playful but half serious reprimand earned a small smile from Bumblebee.

Ratchet crossed his arms and leaned back against one of the other recharge berths in the med-bay, eagerly awaiting the news that Optimus had for the two of them. The CMO had no knowledge about Optimus's urgent findings, but the doc hoped to Primus that it was good news.

"Alright then, down to business…"

Optimus told them both with a heavy spark, his findings. When he was finished he looked at Bumblebee with deep regret in his optics.

"Bumblebee…I know this must be difficult for you. But I am going to give you the choice. Freedom is still your right."

Optimus cornered Ratchet with a look that brooked no argument.

"Release him."

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me, Ratchet. Let Bumblebee go. He must choose his own destiny. We are not to make it for him."

"Yes…sir."

Ratchet was clearly not pleased with his decision but Optimus felt it was the right thing to do.

"There are two roads that you can travel Bumblebee. You have the choice to either give in to this virus, betray us by taking one of our lives, and seal that dark and ancient pact to become Unicron's slave forever… or you can choose to keep fighting it, to try with the last of your strength to keep your spark pure."

Bumblebee nodded his head grimly.

"I will…do my best not to let you down, Optimus."

"I know you will."

Optimus helped Bumblebee to the door, the young bot leaning on his larger frame for support while Ratchet held back and simply watched.

Bumblebee felt those accursed fangs tingling and that terrible urge to bite something or someone. It was starting to drive him mad! He did his best to force down the feeling and kept his mouth clamped shut, although the two fangs were starting to protrude from his mouth slightly…

"We will do our best to help you defeat Cronos Bumblebee. Your mission is to draw him out for us. Once you do that, we can do the rest."

"I understand."

"And Bumblebee…"

Optimus had a fatherly hand on Bumblebee's shoulder, preventing him from running off just yet.

"Remember…when your mind is in doubt, trust your spark."

Bumblebee managed a tired smile and nodded his head.

"I will, Optimus. Thank you."

"We will be in touch if you need us."

Bumblebee nodded his head grimly before exiting out of the med-bay. He transformed shakily, and rolled out of the base and into the light of sundown. He winced as the virus made his outer shell burn from the last kisses of the fading rays but kept going.

_All I have to do…is find Cronos and report in. Should be easy enough, right?_

He hoped so because if not, then he was in serious trouble. In all honesty, Cronos was the LAST creature Bumblebee wanted to find but at the same time, his life depended on it.

He shivered subconsciously at the dreaded thought of what would happen when he finally did encounter that evil being again.

As the darkness grew with the last few rays vanishing over the horizon, Bumblebee felt the sluggishness in his systems melt away. That sluggishness was soon replaced with that ravenous hunger and an almost predatory energy he didn't know he had.

Soon that deep, dark urge to bite something drove him crazy enough and forced him to act out of pure instinct.

Bumblebee transformed in the middle of the deserted road and crept as quietly as he could into the dense forest nearby. He spotted his first victim…

A lone deer that had been grazing now stood petrified with fear at the sight of the monstrosity entering the clearing.

Bumblebee couldn't stop the evil, dark sounding chuckle that escaped his voice box and crept forward, reaching an outstretched hand towards the frozen animal.

Bumblebee's hand grasped around the object he had been so intently focused on, finally spooking the deer into running the other way.

With a grunt, he uprooted a small tree that had been right next to the deer moments before and snapped some branches off until a straight log was all that remained. Then with a tortured scream, Bumblebee bit down and sank his fangs deeply into the small sapling. He kept his fangs lodged in there until that accursed desire to bite, dissipated.

Bumblebee struggled a moment to dislodge his fangs and teeth from the bark of the small tree and then shoved it back down into the hole he had made from uprooting it.

He was still hungry.

No…_he_ wasn't hungry, the vampire virus was. Hungry for the lifeblood…the energon of one of his comrades… who…

_NO!_ _I can't think like this! They are your friends, your brothers…your family! Come on Bumblebee, pull yourself together._

Then again…the base was only about 90 miles away.

_Frag it! STOP THINKING LIKE THAT!!_

Bumblebee sat down in the middle of the clearing and drew his knees up to his chest to think.

Where exactly could he go?

He had the whole world to himself now, or at least until he found Cronos again. The monster that had bit him…the monster that was now becoming a part of him…that might soon BECOME him. That was the last thing Bumblebee wanted, right next to finding that creep that had done this.

Then again, there was still the possibility that Decepticons might find him…

_**I don't think you will have to worry much about them.**_

The yellow Autobot stiffened at the voice and warily scanned the clearing around him but came up empty. Bumblebee couldn't keep the growl out of his thoughts as he transmitted back.

_And why won't I have to worry about them?_

_**Because my dear, little apprentice…we are all on the same side here.**_

Bumblebee shuddered at the very creepy and sinister sounding chuckle that Cronos decided to add after that comment.

So…the Decepticons, Unicron, AND Cronos were all on the same side then. Why did that surprise him?

_**You are well on your way to becoming one of us…**_

_I don't care! _

_**I believe you do. How did that tree taste by the way?**_

Bumblebee's purple tinged optics widened considerably and he felt highly uncomfortable and insecure.

_How did you know about that?! _

_**I know many things. And what I know is that you are in desperate need of a mentor right now…**_

_I already have one._

_**If you are referring to that rust-bucket Optimus Prime, then you are terribly misguided.**_

Bumblebee snarled angrily and defended his leader. He wasn't THAT old!!

_If anyone is an ancient, crusty old rust-bucket, it's YOU Cronos!!_

He ignored Bumblebee's rather brazen comment and continued.

_**What has your so called 'mentor' done to help you so far? Nothing… he did nothing but send you out into exile. **_

_That's not true!_

_**You are becoming far too dangerous to be kept around…that is why he sent you away.**_

_Just….SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!_

_**As you wish…but I want you to know that I do care about you. I want to help you.**_

Bumblebee felt his discomfort and fear growing. He knew they were lies…they had to be. He shook his head as if to clear the confusing thoughts that now plagued his mind and answered back timidly, a little uncertain if he wanted to hear the resulting response.

_Where are you?_

_**Come and find me, little one. I'm waiting.**_

The last echoes of a darkly amused chuckle rang through his processor before disappearing, leaving Bumblebee alone in the dark forest again.

"That was decidedly creepy…"

Now a billion times more paranoid, Bumblebee ran and dove out of the tree line, a bit eager to get moving. He transformed mid-air and landed on the asphalt of the road. He burned rubber, tires spinning madly in an attempt to find purchase on the now slick cement as a light drizzle showered the landscape.

Out in the distance, thunder rumbled, signaling an approaching storm.

As Bumblebee drove he tried his best to ignore that scary feeling that he was being watched and kept moving. As steam arose from the hot pavement as bigger, colder droplets of rain fell more aggressively from the sky, a dense fog began to creep in making his surroundings seem all the more ominous and dangerous. It took all Bumblebee's might to keep his ever growing imagination at bay…all sorts of frightening thoughts plaguing his already paranoid and troubled mind.

_Let's see…the only creepy thing out in this neck of the woods is Cronos. So what am I worried about?_

A wolf howled from somewhere nearby, interrupting his startled thoughts and Bumblebee sped up a little faster, eager to get back to civilization.

_Oh slag…if there is such a thing as a vampire-mech…could there be such a thing as a werewolf-bot? That doesn't seem physically possible…but then again there is ravage… but he is more of a cat than a wolf._

Bumblebee felt a strange but painfully odd tugging on his spark and he slowed down, trusting his instincts. He shivered, as he tried to keep his fear at bay. It was Cronos…he knew it. He could somehow s_ense_ him. That meant that his spark was fading…turning darker against its will.

He followed the dark call and soon found himself standing at the entrance of a rather large cave about three miles into the woods from the road he had been on. A dark silhouette loomed forth from the inky blackness and made its presence known.

_**Welcome to my abode, little one. It's time to begin your training…**_

TO BE CONTINUED.

Author's Note: The only way I won't finish my stories…is if I die. So please leave a review. T.T


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while… thanks so much to all of you who reviewed!! You know who you are. ;)

**Chapter 9**

Bumblebee warily followed Cronos into the cave, a bit surprised that he could actually see clearly in the inky blackness. The dark shape leading him further through the tunnel chuckled darkly, as if sensing his thoughts.

"**You are becoming more like me**…"

Bumblebee had to bite down a nasty remark at that but found to his horror that he had somehow transmitted it to him anyways.

_You are the LAST thing I want to be more like…I'd rather be more like one of these earth creatures than the likes of you!_

_**My, my…you DO have a temper. That wounds me that you don't want to be like me but that is too bad. Your destiny is to join me and fight alongside me, little one. You will have to face that fact one of these days… **_

Bumblebee snarled back and held down the urge to tackle him to the floor and beat the slag out of him.

"NEVER!!!"

Cronos chuckled in dark amusement and looked over his shoulder to regard his young charge for a moment before continuing on into one of the chambers within the cave.

"**I believe you will. Perhaps not today…but you will in time."**

Bumblebee was feeling tired now and more energy deprived. He didn't bother gracing the lunatic with a witty comeback and opted to trudge along behind him in silence. A large room appeared before them that was dimly lit with a few strategically placed bowls of fire.

Upon closer inspection to one of the flaming bowls, Bumblebee noted that it was just oil burning. How quaint.

The vampire stalked forward and took a seat at a rectangular table carved out of stone from the cave, no doubt. He gestured that Bumblebee take a seat.

The young Autobot complied without complaint and relaxed a notch as his aching joints and servos had a chance to rest now. A pair of ruby red optics stared back into his own and for the first time in a long time, Bumblebee wasn't afraid…

"**There really is no need to fear me…or to be so cautious, little one."**

"Old habits die hard."

"**Indeed."**

His comment appeared to have amused him and he actually smiled, revealing his sharply pointed fangs that glimmered in the firelight. Bumblebee kept a straight face, feeling a tad awkward and decided it was best he just remain quiet…

"**Tell, me young one…are you hungry?"**

"No."

Cronos feigned surprise.

"**No? I highly doubt that, child…you must be by now. I can see it in your optics. I can **_**feel **_**your need to kill and savor another's lifeblood."**

Bumblebee twitched in response but otherwise kept silent.

Cronos sat there a moment longer, simply regarding the youngling before getting up. He paced back and forth slowly and almost elegantly with both clawed hands clasped behind his back. His wings were currently folded down and around his body to resemble something similar to a cape, reminding Bumblebee of a cartoon show he watched years ago about Gargoyles.

The ancient menace began to speak again in a low tone.

"**In all honesty, killing another to sustain yourself is hardly a crime or a sin, you know. Look at the human inhabitants on this world, for example. They kill animals in order to eat them and sustain their own energy. It is similar for the two of us. One life is taken so another can live…"**

"You don't stop at only one life, though Cronos…how many have YOU ruthlessly murdered?"

Bumblebee couldn't stop himself from glaring at the monstrosity.

Cronos laughed harshly at this as if he had just heard a good joke.

"**No, little one…many have volunteered to give me their lifeblood. I don't MURDER anyone. That is a myth."**

The Autobot couldn't stop himself from speaking out again, Optimus Prime's lessons he had learned resurfacing to mind despite the angry protests from the vampire virus that kept trying so desperately to shut him down into submission.

"Drinking the lifeblood of any living creature…is a crime punishable by death, according to Primus! It's WRONG. And GROSS!"

Cronos smirked at him and then shook his head slowly as if reprimanding a sparkling.

"**I don't think you quite understand yet, dear one. It is either their life…or yours. And it's hardly gross. I know you were quite satisfied the night you tasted mine..."**

Bumblebee's face reflected stunned horror.

"I DID NOT!!"

"**No? Then why did you not stop?"**

"Because you MADE me…"

"**Oh no, youngling…You had the choice to not ingest my lifeblood as I offered it to you. You CHOSE to drink it. And now you are going to be my son…"**

Bumblebee was stunned into terrified silence. He couldn't believe it. Why did his lies seem so…so TRUE?! And his son?!

"I don't want to be your son. I HATE YOU!"

Bumblebee snarled and leaped from the table in an attempt to tackle Cronos to the ground. Before he could get his hands on the vampire however, Cronos stopped him with his hypnotic gaze.

"**Attacking me is a big no-no, little one. Now SIT DOWN."**

If Bumblebee had been a human, all of the color in his face would have drained away as his body was forced to obey the command against his will.

"**There now, that's better. As I was saying, you are going to learn everything that I know and use this knowledge to make the universe a better place."**

"By what…KILLING everyone in it first?!"

"**You will understand someday. I do not think you are ready to learn my knowledge. **

"Good, because I don't care to learn"

Bumblebee slouched tiredly in his seat, finding it difficult to even keep his head up. Cronos frowned as if concerned.

"**I think your energy has gotten rather low. It's time for you to feed, my son…"**

"I think I'll pass on that."

Cronos sent Bumblebee a rather creepy smile before pulling a hidden lever in the wall behind him, bringing up a platform from the floor that had a figure tied up on it. Once the platform was completely raised, Bumblebee could finally make out who it was in the firelight. His face reflected the terror his future victim was feeling as the poor mech struggled futilely against his restraints.

"No…I can't. I WON'T!!"

"**I found this poor lost little bot out in the woods earlier and immediately thought of you. It's going to be your life or his. Make your choice."**

"NEVER… I will NEVER take the life of one of my friends!"

"**Little one, you will not be leaving this room until you have replenished your energy. Have fun you two…see you shortly."**

With those final words, Cronos left the room and sealed it closed with a door that Bumblebee didn't recall seeing the first time they had entered.

"Don't worry my friend…I will get you loose."

He ran around the room searching for something, anything to cut his comrade free with and finally found a rock sharp enough. He cut the barbed wire holding his friend prisoner and helped him sit up.

"Sideswipe…what are you doing out here?"

"Prime ordered me to follow you and said I was the best option in the case I got caught since I can easily communicate with Sunny and let him know what's going on in this place."

Sideswipe was frowning in disgust as he said this.

"Well, you AREN'T going to be dinner tonight…not if I can…help it."

Bumblebee slumped to the floor as his system's glitched and his optics flickered briefly between purple and red. Soon he was left moaning on the floor, Sideswipe standing above him helplessly.

"Bumblebee…we have to find a way out of here!"

"Feel….weak…and hungry."

"I've got something for you buddy, hold on."

Sideswipe pulled out an energon ration from subspace and handed it to one of Bumblebee's shaking hands.

Unfortunately, the virus forced him to purge his tanks clean of it and he whimpered pathetically from his position on the floor.

"Sides…I don't…wanna hurt you…but…need energy…."

Sideswipe looked panicked a minute and backed away, wishing that freak of nature hadn't been so thorough in stripping him of all his weapons earlier.

"Now just wait a minute Bumblebee…maybe I can give you some of my energon…but only if you don't BITE me for it."

Bumblebee groaned as he struggled to sit up and shook his head weakly, feeling his hunger and dark need to bite the live prey before him growing with each passing minute. His spark was in agony as his two halves were at war with each other. His dark side versus his light side…and right now, it felt like his dark side was taking over completely.

_**Go ahead, little one…bite him and drain him dry. He had this coming ever since he frightened you as a sparkling…**_

_He is my friend…_

_**He is the source of your survival.**_

_I don't want to kill him!_

_**Then only take enough of his fluids to sustain yourself until you are ready for your first real kill…**_

_I don't know if I can…_

_**Give in to your instincts and your dark desires…**_

_My spark hurts…I'm in pain. IT HURTS!_

_**Only because you are holding yourself back, little one. This will make you feel soooo much better. I promise I will help you…now do it.**_

When Bumblebee snapped out of his odd communications with his 'mentor' he felt his dark side creeping in, taking over his spark…sending him spiraling into darkness and despair. The good part of him knew that it was wrong and never wanted to harm his friends. That deep, ravenous desire…that need to kill was becoming far too overpowering for him to control.

_**Yesss….kill him…I can feel your need to kill. Do it and prove your true strength…I know you have the power.**_

Bumblebee clambered shakily up to his feet, his optics turning an even darker shade of purple as he staggered closer to Sideswipe.

"Uhh…Bee? Why are you coming at me with your hands raised up in an 'I'm about to totally claw you to death and drink all your fluids' kind of way?"

A deep, throaty chuckle responded to Sideswipe's rather innocent query. He couldn't keep the singsong tone out of his voice either as he lunged for him.

"_Come here Sideswipe…"_

The red twin shrieked and ran as Bumblebee chased him around the room, thirsty for his lifeblood.

"COME BACK SIDESWIPE!! I NEED YOUR ENERGON!!"

"You aren't ever getting it you little creep!!"

The two continued running around the room in circles until Bumblebee's energy deprived body crashed to the floor in a heap as he was forced into emergency stasis.

"Slag…that was close."

Sideswipe opened up the spark bond link with his brother and sent him a message.

_Hey Sunstreaker…we have a bit of a problem over here._

_What happened, bro?_

_Well…Bumblebee had a dark moment and chased me around this room we got locked up in and tried to attack me for my energon._

_Is he okay?_

_I'M fine…don't know about him. He is currently in some sort of emergency stasis. I don't know what to do…_

_Let me get Prime and Ratchet and then I will get back to you on that…_

They cut their internal connection and Sideswipe sat down, wondering what to do. He really did consider cutting himself and giving Bumblebee the energy he needed but knew it was just sick and wrong. But from the looks of things, his little buddy wasn't going to last that much longer…

His silent musings were cut short when the door opened and Cronos himself walked in, looking a bit unhappy. He turned a deep frown on the red twin as if just noticing him for the first time and couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice.

"**Oh…you're still alive…"**

"Oh…you're still the fugliest being this side of the universe," Sideswipe taunted with a rather proud smirk.

Cronos shot him a disgusted glare and slammed Sideswipe up against a wall where metal restraints slid out and wrapped around his torso, arms, and legs, pinning him there before the Autobot had a chance to react or defend him-self.

Cronos walked past him and went immediately to Bumblebee's side.

"**The little fool… If only he would have listened to me."**

Cronos made sure that Bumblebee's mouth was open before taking a knife and cutting himself again, and poured some of his dark energon down the young Autobot's throat.

Sideswipe watched, horrified as he was forced to bear witness to such a despicable act and then snarled, doing the best he could to break free of the bonds holding him in place.

"STOP IT!! LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU SLAGGING COWARD!! COME AND FIGHT ME!!"

Cronos turned his dark gaze on Sideswipe and regarded the young soldier with a smirk.

"**When he awakens…he will no longer be the friend you once knew and loved. It is finished. The youngling belongs to ME now."**

This only served to enrage Sideswipe more and he snarled and screamed a very long list of Cybertronian curses at him much to the vampire-mech's morbid amusement. Cronos walked up to the detained Autobot and with a fluid motion, cut one of the energon lines in Sideswipe's arm and watched his lifeblood slowly leak down to the floor where it formed a small puddle.

"**Now be a good little victim…and give my son the energy he needs…"**

Cronos turned his back then and left the room, oblivious to Sideswipe's fury.

Sideswipe calmed himself enough to reopen a link with his twin to inform him of the situation but his twin beat him to it.

_Ratchet and Prime are giving you the go to defend yourself in any way possible. Just try not to kill Bumblebee!_

_I can't. I'm currently attached to a wall._

_Well detach yourself then!_

_It's not as easy as you think!! And that creep made Bumblebee drink some of his energon when he was unconscious. He says that Bumblebee will be completely dark when he wakes up again._

A few minutes passed until Sunstreaker came back.

_Optimus says that Cronos is definitely lying. Bumblebee can't be dark if the slagger FORCED him to do something against his will. The only way he can go completely darkside, is if he does that slag by his own freewill. Try to keep him talking…we are all on the way!_

The link was cut again, leaving Sideswipe alone to ponder this new development. So there was a chance that Bumblebee was still himself. However, thanks to this nice gash on his arm and the energon still leaking out of him, the smell and sight of it might be enough to drive Bumblebee's already dark side over the edge completely.

"Just great… I never imagined I would die like this… as Bumblebee's dinner."

A small moan alerted the red twin to the frightening fact that Bumblebee was awakening.

"Oh slag"

Sideswipe struggled and squirmed, trying desperately to find some weak point in his restraints that he could either slip free of or break through. Escape was probably not going to happen judging that the best he could do was wiggle his fingers and kick his feet futilely against the wall. These restraints were pretty solid.

"Slag it all!"

"…Side…swipe?"

"Yeah buddy…I'm still here."

Bumblebee looked up from his position on the floor and made a disgusted face.

"Why is there such a bad taste in my mouth?"

Sideswipe grimaced and shook his head sorrowfully.

"Cronos gave you some of his energon…"

"I…hate…him…"

Bumblebee crawled closer to his friend but stiffened upon the sight of the energon puddle on the floor directly below him.

"What…happened…to you?"

Sideswipe growled deeply.

"Who do you THINK!?"

Bumblebee looked terrified a moment and tears glimmered in his optics.

"Was it _me_?"

Sideswipe felt his spark clench at the sound of Bumblebee's broken sounding voice.

"No, it wasn't you. It was Cronos."

"It…really hurts…"

Sideswipe could only imagine what kind of pain Bumblebee was in.

"Your spark?"

Bumblebee nodded sadly and placed a hand over his chest armor, directly over his weakly pulsating spark.

"If I…bite you…my spark…will extinguish forever."

"I know."

"I don't want that to…happen."

"I don't want that to happen, either, little buddy."

"Please…kill me…"

Sideswipe turned a shocked expression on him and snarled.

"NO! I could NEVER hurt you!"

"Please…I beg you…I don't want to…to be a monster. I don't want to…hurt any…of you."

"It won't come to that. Help is coming…you will see!"

Bumblebee's optics glitched again and he couldn't stop a scream from escaping his throat as his spark clenched painfully within his chest as his dark side tried to whisper words of encouragement…the darkness was calling to him. Begging him to cross over and become one with the darkness.

It hurt…so much.

Fighting this darkness was killing him. His spark wanted to stay bright and pure.

"You have to…please end this…"

Sideswipe shook his head vigorously.

"No. I won't. We all love you too much, Bumblebee. You are like my little brother!"

"Hurts…to fight it…need…**to KILL**"

"No…that isn't true! Hold on to goodness Bumblebee! Remember what Optimus Prime taught you!"

Sideswipe watched helplessly from where he was strapped to the wall as Bumblebee writhed on the floor in pain, shrieking and screaming as his spark was slowly ripped in half. One side had to win…either darkness or the light.

"I know you can do this, Bumblebee…just hang on! Don't give up!"

Bumblebee whimpered as he found himself crawling straight towards the puddle of energon on the floor.

"Can't…help it…"

Much to their disgusted horror, Bumblebee actually began to drink up the energon, practically licking the floor dry. When the youngling stood up again, his optics were glowing orange…not red yet but still close enough.

"Need…**more**…"

"No… Bumblebee please!! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"**Tasted soooo goooood…"**

Bumblebee's optics began to glow brighter with those words and he chuckled darkly as he crept closer to a still bleeding Sideswipe.

"Don't do this Bumblebee…you are BETTER than this!! FIGHT IT!"

His words must have triggered something because Bumblebee stopped dead in his tracks and brought two hands up to his head and fell to his knees with an anguished sob.

"MAKE IT STOP!! PLEASE SAVE ME!!"

"I can't…I don't know how to save you or I would!"

Bumblebee shivered and grabbed his chest as if trying to keep his spark from extinguishing.

"Don't want to…be evil…"

"I know you don't and that's a GOOD thing, Bee!"

Bumblebee pulled the lever to release Sideswipe from his bonds and the red twin fell to the floor. Bumblebee felt it was best to give his friend a fighting chance...

"I don't…want to kill you…"

"That's good because I don't want to die!!"

An explosion shook the cave from somewhere nearby and Sideswipe vented a sigh of relief.

"Help is here, Bumblebee… just hang on and stay with me!"

Bumblebee nodded his head and curled into a ball on the floor, too tired and in pain to want to do anything else. Not even the temptation of biting Sideswipe was enough to get him up.

"Just…let me die…"

"No…don't talk like that! You are going to be just fine! They have a plan!"

And sure enough, Sideswipe sensed his brother's brilliantly glowing spark from somewhere nearby.

The Autobots had finally come to finish this…

…And to set their little captive free.

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N: yeah…I know this was a little dark. Sorry about that. But don't worry, the next chapter is gonna be epic since it will feature the final showdown between Cronos and the Autobots! Please leave me a review!


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: At long last, I am back. Thank you all for being so patient with me in my absence.

**Chapter 10**

The Autobots cautiously advanced upon the last known coordinates that Sideswipe successfully supplied to them hours before his capture.

Tracking him down to the vampire lair was difficult but not impossible.

Optimus ordered them to silently fan out, all of them armed with their specialized weaponry of choice that would hopefully take Cronos out. The Autobot leader brought one hand up to the side of his helm and opened up a com-line with his troops.

: Autobots, proceed with caution. If any of you get into a tight situation you can't handle…don't be ashamed to call for backup! Our enemy is both powerful and deadly and should not be underestimated:

The Autobots responded with their own individual acknowledgments before charging the enemy base. Optimus, Ratchet, Jazz, and Ironhide were the first to enter the cave while Wheeljack and Sunstreaker swept the perimeter in the event there was another possible exit their enemy might attempt to take should he decide to flee the fight.

Optimus heard something to his left and held a hand up, signaling Ratchet and Ironhide to stop and be on their guard.

Soon an evil chuckle filled the silence all around them.

"_**So…you have come to save the little one. How very thoughtful of you **_**Optimus Prime!" **Cronos spat the name venomously like a curse.

Optimus's optics narrowed angrily and his majestic voice echoed through the stillness of the cave expanse and tunnels.

"You have attacked us without cause and have thereby made yourself our enemy!"

"_**Oh…but I DO have a cause, a worthy one, appointed by Unicron himself!"**_

"Come out and show yourself and we will make your termination swift!"

"_**Come and find me Prime…and I will make yours slow and excruciating!"**_

A harsh, grating laugh followed.

"Why that son of a—" Ironhide snarled and lunged forward intent on finding the villain for insulting his best friend like that but Optimus restrained him with an outstretched arm, blocking his rather hot tempered and reckless abandon.

"No. He is clearly baiting us."

"Aww, come on Optimus…let me at em'!"

"You will have your chance, Ironhide. Just not HIS way"

"What's the plan, then? Bumblebee needs help!" Ratchet whispered urgently.

"We are going to do the unexpected."

"What do you have in mind?"

"You'll see…"

Optimus took a few steps forward.

"We surrender!"

The sound of weapons clattering as they hit the stone ground echoed out and Ironhide grinned in silent anticipation, itching for a fight.

The sinister laugh returned, much closer this time.

"_**I'm insulted that you take me for such a fool! I know that the great Optimus Prime NEVER surrenders to an agent of Unicron!"**_

"Oh, but I believe I just did! So come and claim your prisoners!"

Silence greeted their audios and the four Autobots strained to hear a response.

:Do you think he bought it?:

:If anything, we have succeeded in confusing our foe:

Soon Cronos appeared from the shadowy gloom, his ruby red optics the very first thing they noticed.

"_**You are not as wise as I first believed. Now prepare to meet your doom, Prime!"**_

Just as Cronos lunged forward for Optimus he ducked down with a shout.

"NOW!"

Ratchet, Ironhide, and Jazz obeyed his order and pulled their specialized weapons from subspace. Ironhide was the first to fire at Cronos with his Van Helsing styled crossbow sub-machine gun that spat out the specialized diamond tipped stakes. They flew over Optimus's head and struck Cronos in the chest, knocking him back a few yards. He snarled and crawled to his feet, plucking the few arrows that had managed to lodge deeply into his chest armor. None had struck his spark chamber, unfortunately for them.

With a howl, he leapt back up to his feet and vanished into the shadows. He began to toy with his victims. Every now and then, he would appear behind one of them and lash out with his claws and wound them before becoming one with the darkness around his helpless prey.

Finally fed up with such nonsense, Ironhide pulled out one of Wheeljack's special inventions.

"It's about time we field tested this one…"

Ironhide set the timer after sticking it to the floor and shoved the others down into a side corridor just as the explosion went off, shaking up the cave and sending small rocks and dust raining down on them from the ceiling of the tunnel. Cronos was now effectively sealed off in the tunnel on the other side of the rubble behind them.

"That should have done that creep SOME damage. Now let's find Bumblebee!"

Optimus nodded grimly.

"Alright Ratchet. You three get to him and get everyone out of here. I will stay behind and deal with Cronos."

"But Optimus…you can't really be serious about taking on that creep all by yourself!"

Ironhide didn't like the idea one bit.

"Don't worry…if anything goes wrong, I can always call in Wheeljack and Sunstreaker. Now get moving!"

Optimus pointed down the corridor with a stern look that brooked no argument and both Ironhide and Ratchet made a grudging retreat further into the dark domain.

Now to find and eliminate Cronos before he could do anymore harm…

**MEANWHILE…**

Wheeljack and Sunstreaker swept the perimeter with careful optics and could not detect any signs of a back entrance.

"This is weird…either he is just stupid or Cronos has poor building planning."

"No back exit in the event he gets cornered by us? This is practically INSULTING," Sunstreaker grumbled.

"Maybe we should go back and find the others," Wheeljack suggested helpfully.

"Yeah, there is no point in wasting our valuable time trying to find a whole lot of NOTHING!"

Sunstreaker began to march back the way they had come and Wheeljack was just about to follow after him, when something shiny caught his attention. His peripheral vision had caught a glimmer of something in the dim moonlight. It was hidden beneath thick shrubbery.

"Hey Sunstreaker…I think I found something!"

Sunstreaker turned around, mildly surprised to hear Wheeljack's claim.

"You did? Well what is it?"

Wheeljack had Sunstreaker help him move the brush out of the way of the thick metallic door hidden in the ground.

"I think we found his back exit."

"Yeah…and to think…we almost missed it!"

"Now…to rig up a little surprise for our friend…"

Wheeljack got to work while Sunstreaker stood on guard, carefully scanning their surroundings.

A few minutes later, and the two were heading back for the cave entrance breaking out into a run when they both heard and felt the tell-tale signs of an explosion nearby.

"Ironhide sure knows how to make an entrance!"

"He sure does…now why don't the two of us make one of our own!"

Wheeljack and Sunstreaker slid to a stop when they found that the cave entrance had been completely sealed off by rocks and other forest debris.

"Just great…"

"Well…we can't get in through the back door after that little present I left that creep. So it looks like our only option is to clear this rubble."

"I'm on it," Sunstreaker smirked as he wedged a grenade in between two of the largest rocks that to a human would look more like giant boulders.

"Alright, stand back!"

Another explosion went off, this time clearing away the debris from the mouth of the cave and granting the two Autobots admission.

Sunstreaker and Wheeljack ran in, silently hoping that Cronos had already been dealt with…

* * *

Sideswipe cheered when the door to the room that held them prisoner was blown completely off its hinges. Ironhide charged in first with Ratchet hot on his heels. Jazz was the last to enter, his gun trained on the tunnel they had just vacated in the event an enemy tried to attack from behind.

They both caught sight of them immediately and Ratchet wasted no time in rushing over to Bumblebee's aide.

"Bumblebee…can you hear me?"

A low groan was his only response.

Ratchet checked him over and frowned before addressing his comrades gravely.

"His energy levels are too low. Since Bumblebee is unable to consume energon, I'm afraid he only has a few hours left…"

Ratchet picked up their youngest team member and carried him back down the hall they had come from, wasting no time in evacuating Cronos's lair.

"I need to get him back to base."

"I will escort you, doc."

Sideswipe followed the CMO through the maze of corridors solemnly. Soon, Ratchet broke into a run with Bumblebee's limp body in his arms when he heard sounds of a battle down a dark hallway they jogged past. Wheeljack and Sunstreaker ran into them at a hallway intersection and joined Ironhide and Jazz in their search for Optimus in the hopes of helping him in his battle with the evil vampire mech.

Sideswipe helped put Bumblebee inside Ratchet's ambulance form before the two peeled rubber and drove as fast as they could back to the base. The medic wasted no time in updating his leader.

::Ratchet to Optimus, come in::

::Yes, what do you have to report?::

::I am taking Bumblebee and Sideswipe back to base for repairs, and Optimus…I don't know how to save Bumblebee…::

::Understood…I will see what I can discover. Keep us updated on his condition, Prime out::

Optimus focused on the villain before him, doing his best to evade oncoming attacks while deftly attempting to land counterattacks of his own.

So far, the leader of the Autobots had learned that Cronos kept to the shadows. It was in the darkness that the creature was at his strongest. Whenever he was exposed to any kind of lighting…even the dimmest light from an occasional torch mounted on a nearby wall appeared to weaken Cronos marginally.

Optimus did his best to use his enemy's weakness to his advantage and tried to lure Cronos into the light for another counterattack but the wretched being somehow KNEW what he was planning.

An evil laugh bellowed from directly behind him and Optimus dove for the floor and combat rolled away and brought his gun to bear on his enemy…who was no longer there. He was chasing shadows at this rate!

"_**What's the matter Prime? Are you afraid of the dark?"**_

"Not a chance! If anything, you are afraid to show yourself!"

Optimus cried out with surprise when he was tackled to the ground roughly from behind and pinned down. He struggled to throw his opponent off but he realized with sudden horror that he was currently in one of the darkest parts of the corridor. His enemy had tackled him out of the small ring of light that a nearby torch had provided him and his gun was now out of reach.

"_**Hmm…I could just KILL you…but I have a more…DELICIOUS idea in mind…"**_

Optimus did his best not to panic as he continued to squirm beneath Cronos's powerful grip. Cronos rolled Optimus onto his back and kept his claws deeply embedded into his shoulders to keep him pinned down while the large vampire mech crouched on top of Optimus's chest, his clawed feet stretched out behind him, keeping the struggling victim's legs from kicking him off. Prime soon realized that his struggles were all futile and felt his spark sinking at his current predicament. There was no knowing where his Autobots were or if they would get here in time.

His worried thoughts were cut off when Cronos lowered his face close to Prime's battle mask and chuckled darkly.

"_**Why yessss…I believe I have better plans in mind for you."**_

"Forget about it…your plans will fail!"

"_**Is that so? They haven't thus far…what makes you think you can stop me?"**_

With those words Cronos gazed deeply into Optimus's optics with a sly grin.

Optimus felt a strange sensation creeping through his CPU and did everything in his power to avoid looking into Cronos's hypnotic stare. He shuttered his optics closed with a growl and turned his head away.

"_**You wanted me to show myself…and here I am. Why do you look away? Is Optimus Prime truly AFRAID?"**_

Optimus didn't fall for the enemy's bait and refused to look at Cronos. Although his audios did pick up on the dark allure of the evil one's manipulative tone of voice. Even he had to admit…it was rather tempting to stare that creep in the eye and tell him to go back to the pit.

"_**Soon…my pupil will be dead and I will need another to replace him. Who better than the greatest and most powerful of all Autobots? I think it's time you joined me…this fight is rather pointless."**_

"You are just going to abandon Bumblebee? I thought he was your apprentice!"

"_**That little FOOL chose not to listen to me and now he will suffer the consequences for his insubordination! His death…is at hand."**_

"Tell me how to save Bumblebee!"

"_**Why tell you how to save him…when you can't even save yourself?"**_

At those words, Optimus did turn his head to look back at his foe with a frown.

"Darkness will never prevail! Your days are numbered, agent of Unicron!"

"_**Hahahaha…that's what they ALL say…"**_

This time, Optimus was caught in the hypnotic gaze and tried to look away but his optics refused to respond to his own mental screams.

Just as Cronos bared his fangs and prepared to bite into Optimus's neck, something sharp struck him in both shoulders, sending him flying backwards off of Prime.

He snarled and leapt to his feet angrily, furious that he had been denied his chance to turn Optimus to darkness.

"_**Who DARES interfere?"**_

"WE DARE!"

Cronos growled dangerously when out of the gloom, he was met with the sight of four Autobots all of them armed with various weapons and all guns trained on him. They stood protectively over Optimus, as Ironhide helped him back up. Prime smiled warmly when he was greeted with the sight of his troops.

"Just in the nick of time, Ironhide old friend"

"Come on Optimus, less talk…and more fight!"

Optimus's smile nearly went supernova at that remark and he turned his full attention back to Cronos.

"Autobots…ATTACK!"

Jazz, Sunstreaker, Ironhide, Wheeljack, and Optimus all charged forward with battle cries and took a startled Cronos off-guard. Their foe screeched in anger as more of those accursed spikes ripped through his arms, legs and torso, and he stumbled backwards through the hallways until he soon found himself cornered in the very room where he had kept his "son" and that other Autobot prisoner. The fire was still going in the fireplace he had built and torches on the walls added to the light. Cronos felt some of his power drain away when he was in the light but refused to admit defeat so soon.

After all...he still had the night on his side.

Sunstreaker laughed psychotically as he took out cloves of garlic and began to throw them at Cronos's face.

"DIE YOU BLOOD SUCKING PARASIIIIIIIITE!"

The vampire mech hissed in response and caught one of the thrown vegetables in one clawed hand and crushed it into a dusty pulp before turning to dodge some more of Ironhide's van-helsing styled diamond tipped spikes.

"Well…I guess garlic doesn't work on vampire mechs after all…"

Jazz shrugged apologetically at Sunstreaker and then ran at Cronos with his blaster pistol firing.

Cronos picked Jazz up, tore the blaster from his hand and crushed it before tossing the Autobot aside like a rag doll.

"_**If this is the best you can do…then you Autobots will soon meet your end!"**_

It was in that moment that Sunstreaker got an idea. It was a good thing Sideswipe wasn't there with him right now…or he would have done a face palm with a frustrated sigh at his brother's blatant stupidity.

"HEY CRONOS! EAT THIIIIIIS!"

Sunstreaker tackled Cronos and shoved another glove of garlic into the vampire's wide open, snarling mouth, effectively silencing their foe before agilely dancing out of reach again.

Cronos made a disgusted face and spat it out. He leapt back to his feet with a furious roar and ran at the yellow twin in retaliation.

Sunstreaker yelped and ran away from him.

"NOOO! KEEP YOUR FUGLY CLAWS AWAY FROM MY PAINTJOOOOOB!"

All of the Autobots fired upon Cronos, catching him in the crossfire.

They were surprised to see their blaster fire bounce harmlessly off of the creature's armor.

"Autobots, resort to PLAN B!"

They put their regular weapons back into their sub-space and traded them for super-soakers filled with holy water that Optimus blessed in Primus's name.

So far, the garlic failed, and Ironhide had not yet managed to get a direct hit on Cronos's spark chamber with one of the metallic stakes. The Autobots were running out of solutions but it wasn't over yet.

Cronos melted back into the shadows in the corner of the room that was not well lit. The Autobots unleashed some of their super-soaker fury after him, unsure if they had hit their target or not and then ceased fire when the room went quiet.

With a whirlwind of fury, Cronos used some of his ingenuity and the Autobot's new weapons to extinguish all of the flames in the room, dousing the fighting arena in pitch darkness.

He appeared purposefully in front of a flaming torch and taunted the Autobots into firing their weapons in order to douse the light one by one. Cronos was just too fast…if he had been a regular decepticon, the Autobots knew for certain that their high velocity Super-soakers would have nailed him.

Soon, only one torch remained and Sunstreaker aimed his super soaker full of holy water at the spot where Cronos was supposed to have appeared. He never had the chance to shoot since a strong wind from out of nowhere blew the last torch out.

_**You can't kill…what you can't see!**_

Wheeljack laughed in response and activated his best gadget yet.

"Then let's shed some light on the subject!"

The device on the floor activated like a star flaming to life and illuminated the room in brilliant white light, almost as if a mini version of the sun had been sparked right there on earth.

Cronos shrieked in pain and dove down into the only available hiding place…a grate in the middle of the floor.

"After him! Do not let him escape!"

"NO WAIT!"

Wheeljack stopped the others with a smile shining in his blue optics.

"Follow me…I know how to end this nightmare once and for all!"

Two Autobots, Ironhide and Jazz chased after Cronos, playing their part in Wheeljack's plan while the others all ran back outside and around the perimeter to where the scientist had rigged a rather explosive surprise on the vampire's only available emergency exit.

"If my calculations are correct he should be opening the door in approximately three…two…one…"

The Autobots watched in fascinated awe as the dark night was lit up by a brilliant explosion that illuminated the entire landscape like a mini atomic bomb.

As soon as the light had faded and the smoke and debris had settled, the Autobots charged in to see what was left of Cronos.

"I don't see him, Prime."

Ironhide and Jazz soon poked their heads out from what was now a giant, gaping hole in the earth.

"Did you catch him?"

"You mean…you didn't see him come out this way?"

"We lost sight of him down in the tunnels…it was too dark."

"Well, SOMEONE triggered that explosion!" Wheeljack exclaimed in morbid confusion.

"Do you think he was atomized by that bomb?"

"I don't know, Ironhide. I wish I did."

The Autobots jumped startled when the stillness of the night was broken by the incessant beeping of Optimus Prime's emergency comlink system.

::Optimus here::

::OPTIMUS! CRONOS IS ATTACKING AND WE ARE LOCKED DOWN IN THE MED-BAY!::

"How did Cronos get over there so fast?"

"Autobots, ROLL OUT!"

The Autobots wasted no time in racing back to their headquarters and found that the power had once again been cut.

"I am so sick of this creep…" Jazz sighed tiredly.

"I JUST FIXED THAT YESTERDAY!" Ironhide yelled his frustration to the heavens.

They all entered their base, ever alert now that their lighting systems had been severed.

They made their way to the Med-Bay and found Cronos savagely attacking the Med-bay doors with his claws, howling in fury as he attempted to break his way in to get at the three helpless victims on the other side. From the looks of him, he had suffered some damage from that blast, some of his armor had melted and other parts had been scorched and dented. Dark purple energon that was almost black in color ran freely from wounds that went entirely unnoticed. The leader of the Autobots shouted his battle cry at the sight of the monstrosity in the hopes of distracting him from his attacks on the weakening repair bay doors.

"THIS ENDS NOW!"

Optimus ran forward, his arm sword sliding down his wrist guard, where it locked into place.

Cronos must have been more damaged than the Autobots though since he didn't appear to hear let alone even register their presence a few yards away. Cronos cackled in mad triumph when he successfully ripped through the doors, earning cries of dismay and terror from the three occupants within.

A few seconds later and Optimus had tackled Cronos away from the med-bay doors where he pinned his opponent down with fire burning in his bright blue optics.

"You will NEVER harm another living soul again!"

With those words, Optimus plunged his energon sword through Cronos's spark chamber without any regret or hesitation, his grim expression hidden behind his battle mask.

Optimus felt his own spark twist with fear when he heard Bumblebee's audio piercing scream from behind him. Ratchet shouted something, clearly panicked and yelled for some assistance.

Cronos shrieked and writhed in pain as he felt his darkened spark pierced through by Optimus Prime's righteous blade. The dark crimson light in the vampire mech's optics flickered as his dark life slowly slipped away, his spark soon extinguished, leaving behind an empty shell that was his body.

Bumblebee's screams soon died, leaving the Autobot's headquarters in dark silence.

Optimus finished the job by deftly beheading their foe to ensure that the creature could not miraculously be revived.

The power soon flickered back on, thanks to Ironhide's quick work, revealing the gruesome remains of Cronos…that dark agent of Unicron that was now going to be nothing more than a memory.

The Autobot's all entered the med-bay cautiously, afraid of what they would see.

Bumblebee was laying deathly still on one of the berths and Ratchet was beside him working frantically to save his fading spark.

Soon one of the monitor's emitted a mournful tone, indicating that Bumblebee's life functions had ceased and that his spark had been extinguished. Ratchet swore and threw a wrench furiously across the room.

"NO! Don't do this to me kid! You can pull through…YOU CAN STILL PULL THROUGH!"

The other Autobots stood silently nearby, watching the tragic spectacle with heavy sparks, none of them courageous enough to break that terrible stillness…as if speaking alone would make the scene before them a reality carved into stone. No one wanted to make Bumblebee's death a permanent reality.

Ratchet did everything he could to try and revive him and it was only when Optimus placed a strong, comforting hand on his shoulder that he stopped his frantic efforts.

"You did everything you could, Ratchet. It's not your fault."

"I…should have been able to save him…I-I don't know what went wrong!"

"It is finished. The one responsible for Bumblebee's death has met justice."

Optimus Prime turned sorrowful optics on the other Autobots and began to address all of them, with an anguished spark, although he did well to hide most of his pain. Bumblebee had been like a son to him.

"Bumblebee's death…will not be in vain. We have purged both ourselves, and the universe of a terrible menace. No one else will ever have to suffer or perish at the hands of Cronos ever again. Bumblebee was one of the youngest of our team…and he was a brave soldier that we shall never forget. He-"

Optimus Prime's moving speech was interrupted when the life support monitor's still attached to Bumblebee flared back to life, startling everyone in the room.

Ratchet turned back to Bumblebee and laughed joyously when his sensors registered what had occurred.

"BUMBLEBEE LIIIIIVES!"

The Autobots cheered, happy to hear the news and thanked Primus for that miracle.

"His spark is back to normal and pulsing strongly. His systems appear to be completely free of whatever Cronos had done to him!"

"Thank the Maker…"

Optimus sighed with relief at this news and felt that heavy darkness that was anguish completely lift and his spark felt lighter than it had in eons.

"I need everyone but Optimus to clear the med-bay immediately!"

The others grumbled at Ratchet's order but complied regardless.

Ratchet turned to Optimus with a happy smile although confusion was evident in his glowing blue optics.

"I don't understand what exactly happened…but I'm glad it did. Bumblebee appears to be a brand new bot. He should awaken relatively soon."

"I understand. He will need his rest."

Optimus turned to leave but was stopped by a restraining hand.

"Optimus…there is a possibility that Bumblebee might not remember any of what has transpired with Cronos."

"If that is the case, then I suggest that we keep quiet on the subject. We shall see first if he does."

"I will stay here with him until he awakens and will be sure to inform you immediately when he does."

"Thank you, Ratchet. I know he is in good hands."

Optimus left to inform the other Autobots of the news.

It was about an hour later when the Autobots received word that Bumblebee was finally conscious.

Optimus was his first visitor.

"How are you feeling Bumblebee?"

"I feel like a new bot, Optimus."

"Do you…remember what happened to you?"

Ratchet stood nearby silently listening as he cleaned his tools and put them away.

"You mean…what Cronos did to me?"

Optimus sighed sadly and nodded his head.

"Yes."

Bumblebee appeared to have spaced out a moment as his optics fixated upon a spot above his head on the ceiling, his body currently relaxed upon one of the repair berths in the med-bay.

"…it was beautiful Optimus…more beautiful than anything I have ever seen in my life."

The autobot leader sat down beside his youngest scout and listened intently to what he had to say.

"I…got to meet him…the Lifemaker. He was so kind to me. He said he forgave me for all the bad things I've ever done in my life…and he said that my life wasn't over."

Bumblebee tiredly shut his optics a moment before continuing.

"He said that there was so much more I had left to do before I could stay there with him in paradise...I felt so bad for nearly turning evil but he hugged me and told me that I have a good spark."

Bumblebee looked intently into Optimus's face.

"Can you…ever forgive me Optimus…for what I almost did…for what I almost became?"

Optimus smiled warmly at him.

"Of course I can. I want you to know that I am proud of you, Bumblebee. You succeeded where many others have failed."

Bumblebee sighed and shook his head.

"I don't feel like I deserve it."

"Oh, but you do. You did everything in your strength to keep your spark pure and tried your best to stay in the light. You did very well…you resisted Cronos's evil power and refused to take the life of one of our own. You are a HERO, Bumblebee…whether you believe that or not, is up to you but it IS the truth!"

"Thank you, Sir. Did you…is he…terminated? I don't…sense him anymore."

"Yes and he will never haunt you again."

Optimus reached down and pulled Bumblebee into a fatherly embrace, thankful to have him back with them.

"Sunrise is coming…and if our research proves true, we must dispose of Cronos's body as soon as possible."

Ratchet helped Bumblebee down from his recharge berth and with the elder's help was able to follow Optimus outside where the others had gathered around the remains of the vampire mech who was laying on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the pink horizon where the first rays of dawn were appearing.

The stars overhead in the sky began to wink out one by one as blossoming yellow rays of light bathed the world in a golden glow. Soon, the light finally reached the vampire mech's dead remains and the Autobots watched in fascinated disgust as his deceased shell disintegrated into silvery ash and was soon blown away by the wind, leaving no evidence of his existence behind.

Bumblebee sighed with relief.

It was over. The nightmare was finally over.

Bumblebee sighed tiredly as he leaned against Ratchet for support and looked over at the twins who were staring at the ground where Cronos's body had been moments before. They soon looked up and caught his stare.

"Hey guys…I don't think…we should do anymore pranks."

The Autobots all looked from Bumblebee to the twins in mild amusement at the sour expression the twins had on their faces to the very serious one of their youngest comrade.

"But…but pranks are so much fun!"

"And we get bored so easily!"

"How else will we get a good laugh?"

Bumblebee gave them a small smile and shook his head.

"Just…no more scary ones about vampires, werewolves, or zombies…okay?"

The twins shared a look with one another before their optics lit up brightly with mischief.

"I don't think we ever did do a werewolf prank…"

Some of the other Autobots groaned at this while Ratchet and Ironhide shot the twins death glares.

"Don't even THINK about it!"

"Do it and you will be lookin' down the business end of my gun barrel!"

The twins surrendered and swore not to do any scary pranks involving ANY mythological creatures again after getting chased around by an angry mob of other Autobots who completely resented their wild future prank idea. After all…if their vampire prank turned out to be real…then who was to say that one of the others might not be also?

No one wanted to find out the hard way…EVER AGAIN.

"Maybe we should prepare for a zombie invasion…"

"I know how to kill zombies…you gotta shoot them in the head!"

"With your aim, you will need a LOT of practice to get that kind of shot!"

"That's what a SHOTGUN is for!"

The younger Autobots all laughed and argued together as they all headed back inside their headquarters, happy that everything was now back to normal.

At long last, the Autobots found some peace and determined that they would be sure to enjoy every minute of it that they could until the next wild adventure swept them off their feet again, into the realm of the unknown.

**THE END**

Author's Note: Alright then, that's all for this story. I hope you liked it! Please leave me a review and as always, stay tuned for more stories. I hope to do more prank stories that are WAY lighter in nature in the future. This one began as a light prank story but turned darker in lieu of Halloween last year. Thank you all for sticking with me and for your feedback for this story!


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